English LCCC Newsbulletin For
Lebanese, Lebanese Related, Global News & Editorials
For September 07/2025
Compiled & Prepared by: Elias Bejjani
#elias_bejjani_news
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Bible Quotations For today
We speak, not to please mortals, but to please God
who tests our hearts
First Letter to the Thessalonians 02/01-13/:”You yourselves know, brothers and
sisters, that our coming to you was not in vain, but though we had already
suffered and been shamefully maltreated at Philippi, as you know, we had courage
in our God to declare to you the gospel of God in spite of great opposition. For
our appeal does not spring from deceit or impure motives or trickery, but just
as we have been approved by God to be entrusted with the message of the gospel,
even so we speak, not to please mortals, but to please God who tests our hearts.
As you know and as God is our witness, we never came with words of flattery or
with a pretext for greed; nor did we seek praise from mortals, whether from you
or from others, though we might have made demands as apostles of Christ. But we
were gentle among you, like a nurse tenderly caring for her own children. So
deeply do we care for you that we are determined to share with you not only the
gospel of God but also our own selves, because you have become very dear to us.
You remember our labour and toil, brothers and sisters; we worked night and day,
so that we might not burden any of you while we proclaimed to you the gospel of
God. You are witnesses, and God also, how pure, upright, and blameless our
conduct was towards you believers. As you know, we dealt with each one of you
like a father with his children, urging and encouraging you and pleading that
you should lead a life worthy of God, who calls you into his own kingdom and
glory. We also constantly give thanks to God for this, that when you received
the word of God that you heard from us, you accepted it not as a human word but
as what it really is, God’s word, which is also at work in you believers.”.
Titles For The
Latest English LCCC Lebanese & Lebanese Related News & Editorials published
on September
06-07/2025
The Cabinet’s Failure to Adopt a Timeline for Disarming Hezbollah…A Big
Difference Between “Welcomed” and “Approved”/Elias Bejjani/September 05/2025
Hezbollah’s Sanctification of Its Weapons Is Idolatry… Worshiping a God of Iron
Destined to Rust/Elias Bejjani/September 04/2025
Hezbollah says Lebanon move on army plan is 'opportunity,' urges Israel to
commit to ceasefire
Hezbollah MP vows group will not surrender its weapons
Berri says army's weapons monopoly plan 'preserves civil peace'
Details of army's weapons monopolization plan emerge
Hezbollah's Qmati says govt. statement an 'opportunity to return to wisdom'
Report: Cabinet's statement result of Aoun-Berri agreement
A win for stability: Lebanon steps away from civil strife
Lebanese President urges US to pressure Israel on withdrawal
Lebanese Minister Kamal Chehadeh outlines army's five-phase disarmament plan
France welcomes Lebanon's plan to place all weapons under state control
Arms collection roadmap: Lebanese Army maps out multi-stage disarmament plan—Key
phases
UNIFIL launches education support project in South Lebanon
Link to a text & Video documentary fro the ... BBC Investigation Reveals
Potential First Clue in the Case of Imam al-Sadr's Disappearance
Titles For The Latest English LCCC
Miscellaneous Reports And News published on
September
06-07/2025
Israel calls on famine-stricken Gaza City residents to leave as it
targets high-rises
Arab bloc says no peace without end to ‘hostile’ Israel actions
Gaza aid flotilla from Tunisia delayed
Egypt says describing displacement of Palestinians as voluntary is ‘nonsense’
UAE, Jordan, Arab Parliament condemn Israeli calls for displacement of
Palestinians
Palestinian Ministry of Justice condemns US sanctions on rights groups
Israel army urges Gaza City residents to leave for ‘humanitarian zone’
Turkey denies role in alleged plot to assassinate Israeli Minister Ben Gvir
UK police arrest dozens at latest protest for banned Palestine Action
Iraq moves to revive Syrian export route, expand refining capacity
Turkiye opposition calls extraordinary congress for Sept 21
Displaced Bedouin families in limbo as Syrian government and Druze authorities
remain at odds
’Trump’s legacy crumbles’, Israelis call on US President to end Gaza war
US President Trump says more Gaza hostages may be dead
How war’s hidden weapons endanger culture and communities from Syria to Ukraine
The Latest English LCCC
Lebanese & Lebanese Related News & Editorials published on September
06-07/2025
From Sydney to Buenos Aires: Iran's Global
Terror Campaign/Dr. Majid Rafizadeh/Gatestone Institute/September 06/2025
Question: “What does it mean to grieve the Holy Spirit (Ephesians 4:30)?”/GotQuestions.org/September
06/2025
Israel and the Houthis Are Entering a Dangerous Escalation Cycle/April Longley
Alley/Washington Institute/September 05/2025
Iran’s Nuclear Reconstitution Options/Richard Nephew//Washington
Institute/September 04/2025
Algeria has become the primary enforcer of Europe’s southern frontier/Hafed Al-Ghwell/Arab
News/September 06, 2025
Blackmailing Egypt and Jordan/Mamdouh AlMuhaini/Alarabiya English/September
06/2025
Slected X tweets For September 06/2025
Titles For
The Latest English LCCC analysis &
editorials from miscellaneous sources
on September
06-07/2025
The
Cabinet’s Failure to Adopt a Timeline for Disarming Hezbollah…A Big Difference
Between “Welcomed” and “Approved”
Elias Bejjani/September 05/2025
https://eliasbejjaninews.com/2025/09/147031/
Clearly, the Lebanese Cabinet has failed in dealing with the
Lebanese Army’s plan, which—constitutionally, and in accordance with
international resolutions and the ceasefire agreement—was supposed to set a
timeline for the withdrawal, dismantling, or surrender of Hezbollah’s weapons
and all other illegal arms to the state before the end of the current year.
In a deceitful linguistic maneuver, the government used the term “welcomed” the
army’s plan, instead of saying “approved” it, while the plan itself was kept
secret, with no dates set for implementation. All that was agreed upon was that
the army would present a monthly report to the Cabinet about its progress on the
plan’s provisions. This is very similar to the way to the chronic Lebanese
judicial and parliament's heresy in referring certain case to committees for
endless study.
Simply put, what happened today is nothing but a scandal, a dilution, a
cover-up, and outright submission to the thuggery of Nabih Berri and the
bullying of Hezbollah, leaving the militia-state in control of the state. The
most absurd part of the Cabinet’s decisions was linking the implementation of
the Barrak-Lebanese plan to the approval of both Israel and Syria.
The fact remains: if the government, backed by the president, is truly serious
about reclaiming the state from the militia-mini state and liberating the Shiite
community from its Iranian captor and its local Trojan agents, then the
immediate requirement is the dismissal of Iran’s five Shiite ministers from the
government and the appointment of free Lebanese Shiite ministers instead.
As for the so-called “king” Shiite minister, Fadi Maki, he must be dismissed
immediately, as he is a coward, submissive, and spineless. He failed to take a
courageous national stance to liberate his community from Iranian domination,
hiding behind excuses that only confirm his cowardice and fear.
In conclusion, Lebanon must put an end to Nabih Berri’s theatrics and
Hezbollah’s immorality and arrogance. The five pro-Iranian Shiite ministers must
be immediately dismissed and replaced with free, truly Lebanese Shiite
ministers—of whom the community has no shortage.
Hezbollah’s Sanctification of Its Weapons Is Idolatry…
Worshiping a God of Iron Destined to Rust
Elias Bejjani/September 04/2025
https://eliasbejjaninews.com/2025/09/146998/
Hezbollah's transformation into idolatry
It is no longer hidden from anyone that what is called “Hezbollah” is no longer
merely an armed militia or a military proxy of Iran, but has in its rhetoric and
practices transformed into an idolatrous gang that sanctifies weapons made of
iron and worships them as if they were a divine revelation. These weapons, which
were deceitfully and falsely presented as a means to defend Lebanon, the
resistance, liberate Palestine, and pray in Jerusalem have today become an end
in themselves, a sacred text placed above the state and above human beings, to
which obedience and loyalty are imposed—even at the cost of the Lebanese
people’s lives, dignity, and future.
It is not surprising that such heresies come from a mafia-like gang that has
mastered terrorism, crime, and assassinations, traded in every forbidden thing
from drugs to money laundering, supported the criminal Assad regime, and carried
out terrorist operations in Lebanon and dozens of other countries. Whoever
practices this degree of violence and depravity, it is no wonder that he openly
declares his blasphemy and denial of God, and boasts that his weapon is “sacred”
and tied to the honor, pride, destiny, and very existence of his Lebanese Shiite
community—whom, since 1982, has kidnapped and taken hostage, fighting with their
youth and sacrificing them in terrorist operations and in Iran’s sectarian and
expansionist wars.
Blasphemy and Heresy
This gang calls itself, in blasphemy and heresy, “Party of God,” and in
boundless arrogance claims that its weapons are sacred—meaning it does not even
understand the meaning of its own name—while worshiping weapons that are mere
iron. And iron, no matter how long it lasts, will rust. What kind of god is this
that Hezbollah worships, whose end is rust and inevitable extinction? The
undeniable truth is that just as the ancient idols fell with their worshippers,
this iron idol—these weapons—will also fall, and those who sanctify them will be
defeated.
The Phenomenon of Weapon Sanctification in Political Discourse
Since Iran created Hezbollah in 1982, with the cooperation of Hafez al-Assad’s
Baathist Syrian regime, It has transformed its weapons from an alleged means of
defense into a “sacred end.” This heresy appeared in its ugliest forms in the
speeches of this Iranian armed proxy leaders—most recently Sheikh Naim Qassem,
who spoke of the weapons as though they were a revealed creed. Similarly, Nabih
Berri, head of the Amal Movement and Speaker of the Lebanese Parliament, in his
most recent speech also leaned toward the same idolatry, elevating the weapons
to the level of gods that must be sanctified and guarded with souls.
But the truth is that these weapons are nothing but iron. And iron, as science,
history, and experience all attest, rusts. What kind of “god” is this that is
worshiped, when it is destined for decay?
The Bible says: “You shall not make for yourself a carved image—any likeness of
anything... You shall not bow down to them nor serve them” (Exodus 20:4–5).
And the Qur’an says: “Have you considered al-Lat and al-‘Uzza, and Manat, the
third—the other?... They are nothing but names which you have named—you and your
fathers—for which Allah has sent down no authority” (Al-Najm 19–23).
These texts clearly reveal that what Hezbollah is doing—sanctifying and
worshiping a new idol called “weapons”—is idolatry.
The Consequences of This Sanctification on the Lebanese State
When a tool of war is transformed into a sacred text, political dialogue is
abolished and the state is killed. The Lebanese citizen is asked to offer his
water, electricity, medicine, and education as sacrifices upon the altar of
iron. The state is no longer an end in itself, but merely a detail in service of
a mafia-idolatrous project.
History delivers its stern judgment: “Every nation that sanctified its sword
ended up burying itself with it.”
The Relationship Between Hezbollah and Iran and Its Influence on Lebanon
Hezbollah has never been a Lebanese party. Since its inception, it has been a
military, security, and cultural arm of Iran, established to serve the "Welaet
Al Fakeah," not the Lebanese state. Therefore, the sanctification of weapons is
merely a reflection of the sanctification of Iran itself, which views Lebanon as
a mere colony run from Tehran.
The Political and Social Control the Party Exercises over the Shiite Community
Since 1982, the party has worked to hijack the Shiite community and turn it into
a hostage in the service of Iran's project. Lebanese Shiites have been forced to
sacrifice their sons in wars that have nothing to do with them: in Syria, Iraq,
Yemen, and Gaza. Entire neighborhoods in the south and the southern suburbs have
been transformed into weapons depots and tunnels, and their residents are no
longer free citizens, but soldiers in a foreign army.
The losses incurred by Lebanon and the Shiite community as a result of
Hezbollah's wars
Since Hezbollah embroiled Lebanon in absurd wars, the Lebanese people in
general, and the Lebanese Shiite community in particular, have paid a heavy
price, including thousands of martyrs and victims, unprecedented displacement,
the collapse of the economy and infrastructure, massive destruction in the
south, the southern suburbs of Beirut, and the Bekaa Valley, impoverishment, and
stifling international isolation.
National decision-making has been confiscated and the state has been transformed
into a failed entity.
The latest chapter of these disasters was the 2023 war, when Hezbollah declared
war on Israel in support of Hamas. The result was a crushing defeat, in which
most of its leaders, including Hassan Nasrallah, were killed. The "sacred" party
has become a burden, begging for a ceasefire and then refusing to abide by it.
Conclusion
Hezbollah is neither a resistance party nor a movement of faith. It is a gang of
deceivers and hypocrites who turned iron into an idol they worship, while true
religion forbids the worship of idols. The party knows neither faith nor
principle. It is a Persian occupation project seeking to keep Lebanon captive
and colonized, using weapons as an eternal excuse for domination.
“Having a form of godliness but denying its power. And from such people turn
away” (2 Timothy 3:5).
“And of the people are some who take others as equals to Allah. They love them
as they should love Allah” (Al-Baqarah 165).
The god of Hezbollah is a weapon made of iron. And its weapon will rust, and its
project will collapse, just as all idols throughout history have collapsed.
Hezbollah says Lebanon move on army plan is 'opportunity,' urges Israel to
commit to ceasefire
Reuters/September 06/2025
BEIRUT (Reuters) -Hezbollah official Mahmoud Qmati told Reuters on Saturday that
the group considered Friday’s cabinet session on an army plan to establish a
state monopoly on arms "an opportunity to return to wisdom and reason,
preventing the country from slipping into the unknown". Lebanon's cabinet on
Friday welcomed a plan by the army that would disarm Hezbollah and said the
military would begin executing it, without setting a timeframe for
implementation and cautioning that the army had limited capabilities. But it
said continued Israeli military operations in Lebanon would hamper the army's
progress. Speaking to reporters after the meeting, Lebanese information minister
Paul Morcos stopped short of saying the cabinet had formally approved the plan.
Qmati told Reuters that Hezbollah had reached its assessment based on the
government’s declaration on Friday that further implementation of a U.S. roadmap
on the matter was dependent on Israel's commitment. He said that without Israel
halting strikes and withdrawing its troops from southern Lebanon, Lebanon’s
implementation of the plan should remain “suspended until further notice.”
Lebanon's cabinet last month tasked the army with coming up with a plan that
would establish a state monopoly on arms and approved a U.S. roadmap aimed at
disarming Hezbollah in exchange for a halt to Israeli military operations in
Lebanon. Qmati said that Hezbollah “unequivocally rejected” those two decisions
and expected the Lebanese government to draw up a national defense strategy.
Israel last week signaled it would scale back its military presence in southern
Lebanon if the army took action to disarm Hezbollah. Meanwhile, it has continued
its strikes, killing four people on Wednesday. A national divide over
Hezbollah's disarmament has taken centre stage in Lebanon since last year's
devastating war with Israel, which upended a power balance long dominated by the
Iran-backed Shi'ite Muslim group. Lebanon is under pressure from the U.S., Saudi
Arabia and Hezbollah's domestic rivals to disarm the group. But Hezbollah has
pushed back, saying it would be a serious misstep to even discuss disarmament
while Israel continues its air strikes on Lebanon and occupies swathes of
territory in the south. Hezbollah Secretary General Naim Qassem last month
raised the spectre of civil war, warning the government against trying to
confront the group and saying street protests were possible.
Hezbollah MP vows group will not surrender its weapons
AFP, Beirut/September 06/2025
A Hezbollah lawmaker vowed Saturday that the group will not abandon its weapons,
a day after the Lebanese government ordered the army to begin implementing a
plan to disarm it. Amid heavy pressure from the United States and fears Israel
might intensify its military operations, the government last month ordered the
army to draw up a plan to disarm Hezbollah by the end of the year. At a meeting
on Friday snubbed by Hezbollah and its allies, the cabinet welcomed the army’s
plan. Speaking afterwards, Information Minister Paul Morcos said the army would
begin implementing the plan “in accordance with the available capabilities.”He
said the army commander had warned of “constraints” on the plan’s
implementation, particularly “Israeli attacks,” and gave no timeframe for the
operation. A government statement conditioned progress on “the commitment of
other parties, foremost Israel.”Lawmaker Hassan Ezzedine said Hezbollah would
“not abandon (its weapons) under any circumstances or pretext at all,” the
state-run National News Agency reported. Those who “drew up the sinful, hasty,
reckless decision represented by the removal of (Hezbollah’s) weapons and gave
in to this decision must reconsider it and correct their mistakes,” he told an
event in south Lebanon, where Hezbollah enjoys strong support. “Otherwise, they
will bear the responsibility and the repercussions... that may follow,” he
added. Ezzedine praised the “courageous stance” of the Shis ministers from
Hezbollah and its ally Amal who walked out of the cabinet meeting “when the army
commander began explaining and presenting the plan.”Multi-confessional Lebanon
has a sect-based power-sharing system in which, by unwritten convention,
legitimacy derives from consensus. The government says Hezbollah’s disarmament
is part of the implementation of a US-brokered ceasefire that ended more than a
year of hostilities between its fighters and Israel in November. Israel has kept
up its strikes on Hezbollah targets despite the truce, saying they will continue
until the group has been disarmed. It has also maintained troops in five places
in the south it deems strategic. France called the cabinet’s decision “a new
positive step.”“France calls on all Lebanese actors to support the peaceful
implementation of the plan without delay,” the foreign ministry said on
Saturday.
Berri says army's weapons monopoly plan 'preserves civil peace'
Naharnet/September 06/2025
Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri said “things are positive,” after Cabinet on
Friday welcomed the Lebanese Army’s plan for the disarmament of Hezbollah and
all armed groups in the country. “I believe that the toxic winds have started to
subside,” Berri added, in remarks to Asharq al-Awsat newspaper. “The army’s
military plan preserves civil peace,” the Speaker said. Cabinet on Friday
welcomed the army's weapons monopolization plan and decided to keep its details
confidential while asking the army to submit monthly reports on its
implementation, Information Minister Paul Morcos said after a key session that
witnessed a walkout by all five Shiite ministers. Al-Akhbar newspaper reported
Saturday that the “compromise” statement was issued as a result of an agreement
between Berri and President Joseph Aoun. Morcos said that the army “will start
implementing the plan, but according to the available resources — there are
limited material and human logistical resources” and that the military “has the
right of operational discretion.”He did not specify a new timeline for
implementation. Morcos also said that Israel had not held up its end of the
agreement laid out in a U.S.-brokered ceasefire that halted the latest
Israel-Hezbollah war in November. Since then, Israeli forces have continued to
occupy five strategic hills inside Lebanese territory and to carry out
near-daily airstrikes. “Israel, like Lebanon, has clear obligations” under the
agreement, Morcos said. “However, its continued violations constitute evidence
of its reneging on these obligations and seriously threaten regional security
and stability," he added.
Details of army's weapons monopolization plan emerge
Naharnet/September 06/2025
The plan devised by the Lebanese Army for monopolizing weapons in the country
consists of four stages, media reports said on Saturday, after Cabinet said it
“welcomes” the plan and asked the army to submit monthly reports on
implementation. According to the reports, the first stage will be implemented
over three months and is dedicated to the continuation of arms removal in the
area south of the Litani River near Israel’s border. The bearing and transfer of
arms will also be prohibited across Lebanon during this stage, the reports said.
The second stage will afterwards be implemented in the area between the Litani
River and the al-Awali River, the third in Beirut and its suburbs and the fourth
in the Bekaa. Cabinet on Friday welcomed the Lebanese Army's weapons
monopolization plan and decided to keep its details confidential while asking
the army to submit monthly reports on its implementation, Information Minister
Paul Morcos said after a key session that witnessed a walkout by all five Shiite
ministers. Morcos added that the army “will start implementing the plan, but
according to the available resources — there are limited material and human
logistical resources” and that the military “has the right of operational
discretion.”He did not specify a new timeline for implementation. Morcos also
said that Israel had not held up its end of the agreement laid out in a
U.S.-brokered ceasefire that halted the latest Israel-Hezbollah war in November.
Since then, Israeli forces have continued to occupy five strategic hills inside
Lebanese territory and to carry out near-daily airstrikes. “Israel, like
Lebanon, has clear obligations” under the agreement, Morcos said. “However, its
continued violations constitute evidence of its reneging on these obligations
and seriously threaten regional security and stability," he added.
Hezbollah's Qmati says govt. statement an 'opportunity to
return to wisdom'
Naharnet/September 06/2025
Hezbollah official Mahmoud Qmati told Reuters on Saturday that Hezbollah
considers Friday's cabinet session on the Lebanese Army's plan to establish a
state monopoly on arms "an opportunity to return to wisdom and reason,
preventing the country from slipping into the unknown."Information Minister Paul
Morcos said after Friday's meeting that the army “will start implementing the
plan, but according to the available resources — there are limited material and
human logistical resources” and that the military “has the right of operational
discretion.”He did not specify a new timeline for implementation.
Morcos also said that Israel had not held up its end of the agreement laid out
in a U.S.-brokered ceasefire that halted the latest Israel-Hezbollah war in
November. Since then, Israeli forces have continued to occupy five strategic
hills inside Lebanese territory and to carry out near-daily airstrikes. “Israel,
like Lebanon, has clear obligations” under the agreement, Morcos said. “However,
its continued violations constitute evidence of its reneging on these
obligations and seriously threaten regional security and stability," he added.
Report: Cabinet's statement result of Aoun-Berri agreement
Naharnet/September 06/2025
The government’s statement on the Lebanese Army’s weapons monopolization plan
reflected “the political settlement that was reached prior to the session
between President Joseph Aoun and PM Nawaf Salam on one side and the Amal-Hezbollah
duo on the other,” the pro-Hezbollah al-Akhbar newspaper reported on Saturday.
“What happened yesterday was a governmental step that made everyone act as if
they are a winner,” the daily said. It added that “the negotiations that took
place between the (Shiite) Duo, the president and Army chief Rodolphe Haykal
prompted the incumbent authorities to reverse the course they had carved for
themselves, especially after Hezbollah and the Amal Movement mulled the idea of
resigning from the government.”“The statement that was issued was formulated a
night before by Aoun and (Speaker Nabih) Berri and Salam agreed to it, which was
reflected in the remarks of Berri, who said in his first comment on the
resolutions that ‘things are positive,’” al-Akhbar quoted unnamed sources as
saying. Cabinet on Friday welcomed the Lebanese Army's weapons monopolization
plan and decided to keep its details confidential while asking the army to
submit monthly reports on its implementation, Information Minister Paul Morcos
said after a key session that witnessed a walkout by all five Shiite ministers.
A win for stability: Lebanon steps away from civil strife
LBCI/September 06/2025
In Lebanon, few political battles stay confined to the halls of government.
Almost every showdown spills into social media, where rival factions claim
victory. Supporters of Hezbollah and the Amal Movement hailed the latest
developments as a win, while their opponents also declared triumph. However, the
real winner may be Lebanon itself, which avoided sliding into civil conflict.
The country's three top leaders agreed that unity was essential to prevent
chaos, with a consensus forged around language that replaced "approval" with
"welcome" in cabinet records. Army commander Rodolph Haykal will deliver monthly
reports to the government, a compromise designed to ease tensions over the
sensitive issue of arms. Lebanon's fragile calm stands in stark contrast to the
turbulent region around it. In Syria, Iran has lost influence following
the collapse of Bashar Assad's regime, leaving a Saudi-backed administration
under Ahmed al-Sharaa still struggling to consolidate power. Congressman Darrell
Issa: Lebanon entering 'a new dawn,' stability must be supported From streets to
state authority: Lebanon positions itself as part of a stable Middle East.
Meanwhile, Tehran is seeking ways to reassert its presence and reestablish
supply lines to Hezbollah. Iraq remains unstable, Gaza is still at war with no
ceasefire in sight, and Yemen's grinding conflict shows no sign of abating. From
Baghdad to Gaza and Yemen, the fragmented regional landscape underscores an
uncertain future, with the possibility of either a U.S.-Iranian settlement or a
confrontation that could upend the status quo. Amid this uncertainty, Lebanese
leaders recognized that any internal spark could ignite uncontrollable unrest.
Friday's cabinet session marked a turning point, endorsing the principle that
all weapons should ultimately fall under state authority, without imposing
deadlines that could further divide the country. For now, Lebanon has taken a
step toward shielding itself from regional fires, even as it waits to see how
the broader Middle East picture will unfold.
Lebanese President urges US to pressure Israel on
withdrawal
LBCI/September 06/2025
Lebanese President Joseph Aoun on Saturday called on the United States to
pressure Israel to withdraw from Lebanese territory and to activate the work of
the joint mechanism committee tasked with implementing the ceasefire agreement.
Following a meeting in Beirut with U.S. Central Command chief Brad Cooper, Aoun
stressed the importance of continued American support for the Lebanese Army,
saying it enables the military to carry out its many missions despite severe
economic challenges. For his part, Cooper praised what he described as the
“remarkable work” of the Lebanese Army and reaffirmed Washington’s commitment to
sustaining military assistance. He also announced that the committee overseeing
the implementation of the November ceasefire will convene on Sunday to review
the situation in South Lebanon.
Lebanese Minister Kamal Chehadeh outlines army's five-phase
disarmament plan
LBCI/September 06/2025
Lebanon's Minister of Displaced and Minister of State for Technology and
Artificial Intelligence Kamal Chehadeh said the Lebanese Army's newly adopted
plan to consolidate weapons under state control, known as “Shield of the
Nation,” consists of five integrated phases. In an interview with Al-Hadath
channel, Chehadeh noted that the first stage of the plan will focus on the area
south of the Litani River, followed by a second phase extending to the region
south of the Awali River. He stressed that the strategy relies on geographic
sequencing to ensure systematic and secure implementation.
“The plan includes field measures such as raids in targeted areas, in full
coordination with security and military agencies,” Chehadeh said. He noted that
there is a broad national consensus on the necessity of placing all arms under
state authority, calling the plan “a strategic step toward restoring full
sovereignty and strengthening state institutions.”Chehadeh said a clear
timetable has been set for the first stage, with all of the army’s resources
currently focused on south of the Litani. He added that Lebanon’s military needs
have been communicated to allied countries, with Washington increasing its
support for the army. On the broader defense strategy, Chehadeh emphasized that
dialogue would not take place with any party outside the government,
underscoring that “the state alone is the sole reference in this matter.” He
pointed out that approval of the disarmament plan came under a cabinet decision
issued on August 5, and that implementation has already begun, with “tangible
results expected in the coming weeks.”
France welcomes Lebanon's plan to place all weapons under
state control
LBCI/September 06/2025
France said Saturday it welcomed the Lebanese government's adoption of an
army-proposed plan to restore the state’s exclusive authority over weapons
across the country. In a statement, the French Foreign Ministry described the
move as “a new and positive stage” following the Lebanese cabinet’s decision on
August 5. It urged all Lebanese parties to support the plan’s peaceful and
immediate implementation to advance toward a stable, sovereign, and prosperous
Lebanon, with secure borders and peaceful relations with its neighbors. France
reaffirmed its readiness to stand by Lebanese authorities in carrying out their
commitments, working with European, American, and regional partners. It pointed
to its involvement in the ceasefire monitoring mechanism established in November
2024, its support for the Lebanese Armed Forces, and its role in the U.N.
peacekeeping mission in Lebanon (UNIFIL). Paris also said it was prepared to
organize two conferences—one in support of Lebanon’s armed forces and another to
back recovery and reconstruction efforts once conditions allow. The ministry
renewed its call on Israel to fully comply with its obligations under the
November 26, 2024, ceasefire agreement and to withdraw from South Lebanon.
Arms collection roadmap: Lebanese Army maps out multi-stage
disarmament plan—Key phases
LBCI/September 06/2025
When the Lebanese Cabinet reviewed the army's plan on Friday to place all
weapons under state control, the proposal was rooted in more than nine months of
field experience. During that time, the Lebanese Army, working with U.N.
peacekeepers (UNIFIL), carried out operations south of the Litani River,
dismantling facilities and seizing arms and ammunition belonging to Hezbollah.
That effort forms the backbone of the plan's first stage. According to the
roadmap, the first phase will complete disarmament south of the Litani. The
second stage will move north of the river, up to the Awali River at the gateway
to South Lebanon. The third phase will focus on Beirut and its suburbs, followed
by the Bekaa Valley in the fourth stage. The fifth and final phase will extend
to the rest of the country, including northern Lebanon. In addition, the army is
tasked with preventing the transfer of weapons between regions, tightening
control over the northern and eastern land borders, curbing smuggling, and
addressing the presence of arms in Palestinian refugee camps. Army commander
General Rodolph Haykal, who briefed ministers on the plan, declined to specify a
timeline for each stage. He replied to the ministers who were asking while he
presented the plan that the army could determine when a phase begins, but not
when it ends, since caches and facilities could be more extensive than
anticipated. Haykal also outlined key obstacles: ongoing Israeli strikes on
Lebanese territory, the level of domestic cooperation with the army's mission,
and the need for a favorable regional and international climate. A direct
confrontation between Iran and Israel, he noted, would complicate
implementation. The army's limited resources also weigh heavily. Most
engineering units are deployed in the south, where some soldiers have already
been killed in operations, and shortages in manpower, equipment, and funding
hinder the pace of progress. Haykal stressed the urgent need for material,
human, and technical support to carry out tasks across Lebanese territory. While
the government had initially set the end of the year as the deadline for
completing the disarmament process, it will now monitor implementation through
monthly reports from the army leadership. Officials acknowledged that the
December target is not likely to be definitive.
UNIFIL launches education support project in South Lebanon
LBCI/September 05/2025
The United Nations peacekeeping force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) on Saturday
inaugurated a project aimed at strengthening public education in five towns in
the country’s southeast. The initiative was launched in Ghandouriyeh by General
Ricardo Esteban Cabrejos, commander of UNIFIL’s eastern sector, during a
ceremony held at the town’s public school. The event was attended by Bint Jbeil
district commissioner Charbel Al-Alam, local mayors, Indonesian battalion
commander Raja Gunung Nasution, and community representatives. The project
includes delivering school supplies to enhance students’ welfare and academic
development, as well as upgrading educational infrastructure to create a safer
and more effective learning environment. “This is an important day, not only
because this project benefits five towns, but because its true heroes are the
children — the future of Lebanon,” Cabrejos said. “UNIFIL’s mandate will end in
16 months, but we will continue implementing projects in the south until then.
My hope is that Lebanon will flourish as it deserves, in peace and security.”
UNIFIL says it found 50-meter tunnel, unexploded ordnances in south Lebanon.
Nasution emphasized the peacekeepers’ commitment to supporting education rather
than conflict. “Today we come to these schools not with weapons, but with books,
supplies, and renewable energy, because we believe peace is built in
classrooms,” he said. The project directly benefits five public schools in
Touline, Souaneh, Qabrikha, Ghandouriyeh, and Froun, improving learning
conditions for students and enhancing teaching quality across the Indonesian
battalion’s area of responsibility.
Link
to a text & Video documentary fro the ... BBC Investigation Reveals Potential
First Clue in the Case of Imam al-Sadr's Disappearance
Al-Modon/September 2, 2025
https://eliasbejjaninews.com/2025/09/147057/
The British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) has published a comprehensive
investigation revealing what could be the first clue in the 1978 disappearance
of Imam Musa al-Sadr, along with his companions Sheikh Muhammad Yaqoub and
journalist Abbas Bader al-Din, in Libya. The report, which coincides with the
47th anniversary of the crime, is based on advanced forensic analysis,
previously undisclosed testimonies, journalist accounts, and an official
Lebanese position.
On August 30, 2025, Lebanese President Joseph Aoun reaffirmed the state's
commitment to pursuing the case of Imam Musa al-Sadr judicially and politically,
stating that "the best tribute to al-Sadr is to adhere to his message of
building a just and unified Lebanon." On August 31, Speaker of Parliament Nabih
Berri emphasized that the case is "bigger than a sectarian issue; it is a
national issue that will not die," urging Libyan authorities to end their
hesitation and cooperate seriously with the Lebanese judiciary.
On the judicial front, investigative judge Zaher Hamadeh explained on July 10,
2025, that the judicial cooperation agreement between Lebanon and Libya is still
in place. However, the Lebanese side is awaiting the official version of the
Libyan investigation, which a Libyan delegation promised to deliver during a
visit to Beirut in the fall of 2024 but has not yet provided, leaving the case
stalled.
The BBC investigation originated from a photo taken by Lebanese-Swedish
journalist Qassem Hamada in 2011 at a secret morgue in Tripoli, Libya. At the
time, a source told him that the body in the photo might be that of Imam Musa
al-Sadr, who was last seen on August 31, 1978, leaving a Tripoli hotel in an
official car after a six-day wait for a meeting with the late Libyan leader
Moammar Gadhafi.
The image was later sent to the University of Bradford in the UK, where a
scientific team led by Professor Hassan Ugail used a sophisticated facial
recognition algorithm called "Deep Face Recognition" to compare it with
authenticated photos of the Imam from different stages of his life. The result
showed a match percentage in the 60s, which was considered a "high probability"
that the body belonged to the Imam. However, the investigation noted that a hair
sample taken from the body in 2011 for a DNA test later disappeared from the
possession of relevant Lebanese parties due to what was described as a
"technical error," leaving the scientific truth unresolved.
The BBC report also included testimonies from Libyan and Lebanese figures,
including former Libyan Justice Minister Mustafa Abdul Jalil, who confirmed that
Gadhafi had ordered the Imam's killing and that forged documents were created at
the time to suggest he had left for Rome, while in reality, he was held and
killed in Libya. The report also suggested that hardline Iranian factions, who
were uncomfortable with the Imam al-Sadr's calls for a more moderate approach on
the eve of the Iranian revolution, might have had shared interests with Gadhafi,
possibly playing a role in the crime.
On August 31, 2025, Speaker of Parliament Nabih Berri gave a televised speech on
the 47th anniversary of the Imam and his companions' disappearance. He affirmed
that their absence was a crime committed by the Gadhafi regime and that the
current Libyan authorities are responsible for the continued ambiguity due to
their lack of cooperation with the Lebanese judiciary. Berri stated, "No matter
how long it takes, we will not forget, we will not compromise, and we will not
forgive. This case is bigger than a sectarian issue; it is a national issue, and
the nation does not die." Berri stressed that continued Libyan procrastination
raises suspicion, considering that the Imam's disappearance targeted Lebanon's
role and national unity and that the official Lebanese position will remain firm
until the full truth is revealed.
Journalist Qassem Hamada, who took the photo of the body in 2011, revealed in
June 2023 that he and three BBC journalists were kidnapped in March of the same
year while preparing a documentary on the same case. According to his account,
the team was stopped near the Libyan Ministry of Foreign Affairs building and
taken to a secret prison where they were subjected to harsh interrogations,
death threats, and accusations of espionage before being released five days
later due to British and Swedish diplomatic pressure. Hamada said the
interrogators leveled contradictory accusations against them, from being Israeli
agents to planning assassinations in Libya, concluding that the authorities
wanted to prevent any independent investigation into the case for fear of
sensitive information being exposed. The disappearance of al-Sadr has created a
constant stream of conspiracy theories. Some people believe he was killed, while
others claim he is still alive and being held somewhere in Libya. To his most
passionate followers, his disappearance is as mysterious as the assassination of
US President John F. Kennedy in 1963.
The Latest English LCCC Miscellaneous
Reports And News published
on September
06-07/2025
Israel calls on famine-stricken Gaza City residents to leave as it
targets high-rises
AP/September 06, 2025
DEIR AL-BALAH, Gaza Strip: Israel’s army called Saturday on Palestinians in Gaza
City to move to a humanitarian area it designated in the south as it expanded
its operations in preparation for seizing the famine-stricken city. including
targeting high-rise buildings.
Parts of the city, home to nearly 1 million people, are already considered “red
zones,” where evacuation orders have been issued ahead of the expected
offensive. Aid groups have repeatedly warned that a large-scale evacuation of
Gaza City would exacerbate the dire humanitarian situation, after the world’s
leading authority on food crises declared the city to be gripped by famine,
Palestinians have been uprooted and displaced multiple times during the nearly
two-year-long war, with many being too weak to move and having nowhere to go.
Israeli army tells residents to move to a ‘humanitarian zone’
Israeli military spokesperson Avichay Adraee wrote in X that the army declared
Muwasi — a makeshift tent camp in southern Gaza Strip — a humanitarian area and
urged everyone in the city, which it called a Hamas stronghold and specified as
a combat zone, to leave. The army said they could travel in cars down a
designated road without being searched. The military, in a statement, provided a
map showing the area in Khan Younis that the humanitarian area encompasses,
which includes the block where Nasser Hospital is located. The area around the
hospital has been considered a red zone, though not the medical facility itself.
Last week, Israel struck the hospital, killing 22 people, including Mariam
Dagga, who worked for The Associated Press and other media outlets. The hospital
was not under evacuation. The designated safe zone would include field
hospitals, water pipelines, food and tents, and relief efforts “will continue on
an ongoing basis in cooperation with the UN and international organizations,”
the statement said. The declaration of a so-called “humanitarian zone” in
southern Gaza was done by the Israeli authorities unilaterally, and the UN and
the wider humanitarian community are not part of that designation, said Olga
Cherevko, a spokesperson for the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian
Affairs. In a statement Saturday, the UN said it is staying in Gaza City to
provide aid and warned that the continued offensive will push people into an
even deeper catastrophe. It said those who decide to move must have their
essential needs met and must able to voluntarily return when the situation
allows. Israeli forces have struck such humanitarian areas throughout the war,
including Muwasi, which they previously declared a safe zone, according to
Gaza’s Health Ministry.
Israel on Saturday issued warnings for two high-rises in Gaza City and the tents
around them, saying Hamas had infrastructure inside or near them. It comes a day
after Israel struck another high-rise building in Gaza City, saying Hamas used
it for surveillance, without providing evidence.
Airstrikes also continued in Gaza City and the surrounding areas on Saturday.
Officials at Shifa Hospital in Gaza City said they received the bodies of 15
people, including a family of five whose apartment was struck in the Shati
refugee camp on the edge of the city. Others were killed by Israeli gunfire
while seeking aid near the Zikim crossing, said the officials. Despite Israel’s
warnings many Palestinians in Gaza City say they won’t leave. “They only order
us to leave from one town to another? What are we going to do with our children?
Those who have an ill person, or an elderly or a wounded, where are we going to
take them?” said a woman who identified herself as Families of hostages appeal
to Trump.
Israel’s offensive has also sparked widespread protests among Israelis who fear
it will endanger hostages still held in Gaza, some of whom are believed to be in
Gaza City. There are 48 such hostages, 20 of them believed by Israel to be
alive. Hamas released a propaganda video Friday of two hostages in Gaza City.
The video shows Guy Gilboa-Dalal in a car, at one point joined by another
hostage, Alon Ohel. Families of the hostages say the government isn’t
prioritizing their loved ones, with most looking to US President Donald Trump to
get the captives out. On Saturday, families of the hostages thanked Trump and
his envoy Steve Witkoff for their “unwavering determination, courage and
compassion” in advancing ceasefire negotiations. The statement, released by the
Hostages and Missing Families Forum, said Trump demonstrates that “true
leadership is measured by bold decisions.”A lasting ceasefire has so far been
elusive. Last month Hamas said it had accepted a proposal from Arab mediators
for a ceasefire. Israel has not yet responded and says it is still committed to
defeating the militant group. Israel says the war will continue until all the
hostages are returned and Hamas is disarmed, and that it will retain open-ended
security control of the territory of some 2 million Palestinians. Hamas has said
it will only release the remaining hostages in return for Palestinian prisoners,
a lasting ceasefire and a full Israeli withdrawal from Gaza. The war started
after Hamas-led militants killed around 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and
abducted 251 people in their attack on southern Israel on Oct. 7, 2023. Most
have since been released in ceasefires or other agreements. Israel’s retaliatory
offensive has killed more than 64,000 Palestinians, according to Gaza’s Health
Ministry, which does not say how many were civilians or combatants but says
women and children make up around half the dead. The UN and independent experts
consider it the most reliable source on war casualties. Israel disputes its
figures but has not provided its own.
Arab bloc says no peace without end to ‘hostile’ Israel
actions
AFP/September 06, 2025
CAIRO: The Arab League has said that peaceful coexistence in the Middle East
cannot be achieved without a Palestinian state and an end to what it described
as Israel’s “hostile practices.”In a resolution submitted by Egypt and Saudi
Arabia and adopted on Thursday, the League said that “the failure to reach a
just solution to the Palestinian cause and the hostile practices of the
occupying power” remain major obstacles to “peaceful coexistence” in the region.
The resolution was part of a wider meeting in Cairo where foreign ministers
endorsed a “Joint Vision for Security and Cooperation in the Region.”The meeting
came as Israeli forces intensified their military offensive around Gaza City —
the territory’s largest urban center — and days after Israel’s far-right Finance
Minister Bezalel Smotrich called for annexation of swathes of the West Bank to
“bury the idea of a Palestinian state.”In the resolution, a copy of which was
obtained by AFP, the Arab bloc said that lasting peace, cooperation and
coexistence in the Middle East are not possible while Israel continues to occupy
Arab land or “issues implicit threats to occupy or annex further Arab lands.”
Egypt and Jordan have signed peace treaties with Israel. The United Arab
Emirates, Bahrain and Morocco normalized relations with Israel in 2020 under the
US-brokered Abraham Accords. In its resolution, the League said any lasting
settlement must be based on a two-state solution and the 2002 Arab Peace
Initiative, which offers a full normalization of relations in return for a
complete Israeli withdrawal from the territories it occupied in 1967. Egypt said
on Friday that there was “no room for allowing any party to dominate the region
or enforce unilateral security arrangements that compromise its security and
stability.”
Gaza aid flotilla from Tunisia delayed
AFP/September 06, 2025
TUNIS: The departure from Tunisia of pro-Palestinian activists seeking to break
Israel’s naval blockade of Gaza with aid boats has been postponed, organizers
said on Saturday. It was planned for Sunday, but organizers said they
rescheduled the boats’ departure from Tunis to Wednesday, September 10, due to
“technical and logistical reasons beyond management’s control.”The Maghreb Sumud
Flotilla, which aimed to join boats of the Global Sumud Flotilla that have
already left from Spain and Italy, had already been delayed by bad weather.
Egypt says describing displacement of Palestinians as
voluntary is ‘nonsense’
Reuters/September 06, 2025
CAIRO: Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty said on Saturday that describing
the displacement of Palestinians as voluntary is “nonsense.”Israel earlier
called on Gaza City residents to leave for the south, as its forces advance
deeper into the enclave’s largest urban area. The Israeli army told Gaza City
residents to flee to a “humanitarian zone” in the south on Saturday ahead of a
planned offensive to capture the territory’s largest urban center. The military
gave no timeline for the assault, and has previously indicated it would not be
announced in advance to maintain the element of surprise. “Take this opportunity
to move early to the (Al-Mawasi) humanitarian zone and join the thousands of
people who have already gone there,” military spokesman Avichay Adraee said on
social media. The army said separately that Al-Mawasi, on Gaza’s southern coast,
has “field hospitals, water pipelines, and desalination facilities, alongside
the continued supply of food, tents, medicines, and medical equipment.” It said
relief efforts there “will continue on an ongoing basis in cooperation with the
UN and international organizations, in parallel to the expansion of the ground
operation.”Israel first declared Al-Mawasi a safe zone early in the war, but has
carried out repeated strikes there since, saying it targeted Hamas fighters
hiding among civilians. Gaza City residents told AFP on Saturday that they
believed it made little difference whether they stayed or fled. “Some say we
should evacuate, others say we should stay,” said Abdel Nasser Mushtaha, 48, a
resident of the city’s Zeitoun neighborhood now sheltering in a tent in the
Rimal area. “But everywhere in Gaza there are bombings and deaths. For the past
year-and-a-half, the worst bombings that caused massacres of civilians have been
in Al-Mawasi, this so-called humanitarian zone,” he added. “It no longer makes
any difference to us,” said his daughter Samia Mushtaha, 20. “Wherever we go,
death pursues us, whether by bombing or hunger.”
- US in ‘deep negotiation’ -
The military’s call for people to leave comes as it steps up its operations
around Gaza City despite mounting domestic and international pressure to end the
nearly two-year conflict. Hamas agreed last month to a proposal for a temporary
ceasefire and staggered hostage releases, but Israel has demanded the militant
group release all the hostages at once, disarm and relinquish control of Gaza,
among other conditions. At the White House on Friday, President Donald Trump
said the United States was in talks with Hamas over the captives being held in
Gaza. “We’re in very deep negotiation with Hamas,” Trump told reporters in the
Oval Office.
‘Disaster’
The UN estimates nearly one million people remain in and around Gaza City, where
it declared a famine last month. It has warned of a looming “disaster” if the
assault proceeds.Israel has said it expects the offensive to displace a million
people further south. The vast majority of Gaza’s population of more than two
million people have been displaced at least once during the war. Israel’s
retaliatory offensive has killed at least 64,300 Palestinians, most of them
civilians, according to figures from the health ministry in Hamas-run Gaza that
the United Nations considers reliable. Media restrictions in Gaza and
difficulties in accessing many areas mean AFP is unable to independently verify
the tolls and details provided by the civil defense agency or the Israeli
military.
UAE, Jordan, Arab Parliament condemn Israeli calls for
displacement of Palestinians
Arab News/September 06, 2025
ABU DHABI/AMMAN/CAIRO: The UAE and the Arab Parliament on Saturday both strongly
condemned remarks by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu suggesting that
Palestinians in Gaza should be allowed to voluntarily leave, warning that such
comments amount to a violation of international law and threaten regional
stability. Israel on Saturday called on residents of Gaza City to leave as its
forces advance deeper into the enclave’s largest urban area. The Israeli army
told people to flee to a “humanitarian zone” in the south ahead of a planned
offensive to occupy the urban center.
In a statement, the UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs reaffirmed the country’s
support for Egypt’s efforts to stand with the Palestinian people, prevent
displacement, and push for an immediate ceasefire, the Emirates News Agency
reported.
The ministry described Netanyahu’s remarks as “a dangerous continuation of
occupation policies” and stressed that any attempt to uproot Palestinians from
their land constitutes “a flagrant violation of international law and United
Nations resolutions.”
The UAE reiterated its categorical rejection of forced displacement or any
attempt to undermine the Palestinian cause, affirming that defending Palestinian
rights is a moral, humanitarian, and legal obligation. It also emphasized that
lasting stability in the region depends on a two-state solution and the
establishment of an independent, sovereign Palestinian state. Jordan also
reaffirmed its stance, with Minister of Government Communication Mohammed Momani
saying the kingdom stood with a united Arab front in rejecting displacement. He
described Israel’s far-right aggression as a violation of international law and
human rights, calling forced displacement a war crime, and stressed that
Palestinians have an inalienable right to self-determination and statehood.
Separately, Arab Parliament Speaker Mohammed bin Ahmed Al-Yamahi condemned
Netanyahu’s comments as part of a longstanding policy of “ethnic cleansing and
forced displacement” by the occupation authorities. He said such rhetoric
amounted to war crimes that “do not drop with time” and represent “a direct
threat to international peace and security.” Al-Yamahi reiterated the Arab
Parliament’s rejection of any displacement attempts in Gaza, the West Bank, or
elsewhere in occupied Palestinian territory. All three condemned any attempt to
undermine the Palestinian cause and urged the international community and UN
bodies to act to halt violations, protect Palestinians, and support their right
to an independent, sovereign state.
Palestinian Ministry of Justice condemns US sanctions on rights groups
Arab News/September 06, 2025
RAMALLAH: The Palestinian Ministry of Justice on Saturday denounced the US for
imposing sanctions on three leading Palestinian human rights organizations, the
Wafa news agency reported. The US administration announced measures on Thursday
against the Palestinian Center for Human Rights, the Al Mezan Center for Human
Rights in Gaza and Al-Haq, prompting what the ministry described as “a dangerous
and unacceptable targeting” of Palestinian civil society. It said in a statement
that the groups documented violations committed by the Israeli occupation
against Palestinians, their land and holy sites, and operated in line with
international law and humanitarian standards. The ministry voiced full support
for the sanctioned organizations and urged Washington to reverse its decision.
It also called on the international community and UN bodies to intervene “to
protect the Palestinian people and their institutions.”
Israel army urges Gaza City residents to leave for ‘humanitarian
zone’
AFP/06 September/2025
The Israeli army urged Gaza City residents to leave for a “humanitarian zone” in
the south on Saturday ahead of a planned offensive to capture the territory’s
largest urban center. In a message to the city’s residents posted on social
media, army spokesman Avichay Adraee said: “Take this opportunity to move early
to the (Al-Mawasi) humanitarian zone and join the thousands of people who have
already gone there.”Adraee did not specify when the new offensive would start,
and another spokesman has previously said it would not be announced in advance
to preserve the element of surprise.
Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty said on Saturday that describing the
displacement of Palestinians as voluntary is “nonsense”.The UN estimates there
are about a million people in and around Gaza City, warning of a coming
“disaster” if the Israeli military goes ahead with its plans to seize the city.
Israel has come under mounting pressure at home and abroad to call off the
offensive and end the war in Gaza. Its foe Hamas agreed to a ceasefire proposal
last month that involved a temporary truce and the staggered release of hostages
held in Gaza. Israel, however, has demanded the Palestinian militant group
release all the hostages at once, lay down its arms and give up control of Gaza,
among other conditions. In a separate statement Saturday, the military said the
humanitarian zone in the south had essential “infrastructure such as field
hospitals, water pipelines, and desalination facilities, alongside the continued
supply of food, tents, medicines, and medical equipment.”It added the
humanitarian efforts in the zone “will continue on an ongoing basis in
cooperation with the UN and international organizations, in parallel to the
expansion of the ground operation.”Israel first declared Al-Mawasi a safe zone
early in the war, which was triggered by Hamas’s October 7, 2023 attack.
However, the army has carried out numerous bombings in the area since then,
saying it was targeting Hamas fighters hiding among civilians. Dozens of
Palestinians interviewed by AFP in Gaza City in recent weeks have said there is
“no safe place” in the territory, with many saying they would rather die than be
displaced again.
Turkey denies role in alleged plot to assassinate Israeli
Minister Ben Gvir
Abeer Khan, Al Arabiya English/06 September/2025
Turkey has denied any involvement in a plot to assassinate Israel’s National
Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir, deeming the allegations circulated in Israeli
media as a “deliberate disinformation campaign” against the country. “The
reference to [Turkey] in certain Israeli media reports about an alleged
assassination plot against an Israeli minister is the result of a deliberate
disinformation campaign targeting our country,” a statement from the Turkish
presidency’s Center for Combating Disinformation said. Israel’s Shin Bet
domestic intelligence service said on Wednesday it had thwarted a planned Hamas
attack, involving the use of explosive drones, against the far-right cabinet
minister. Shin Bet said members from a cell, which it believed operated a Hamas
headquarters in Turkey, had been arrested in the Israeli-occupied West Bank.
“Funded by Hamas in Turkey, the cell abandoned the plan after a test failed,”
The Jerusalem Post said Thursday on X. However, the Turkish statement noted that
those detained in connection with the alleged assassination plot have clarified
that they have no connection to Turkey, adding that Red Cross officials have
also previously confirmed this. “The real aim of these news reports is to create
a deliberately misleading perception against [Turkey] in the international
public opinion, and in doing so, to harm [Turkey’s] policy on Palestine,” the
statement added. After having cut direct ties with Israel in May last year,
demanding a permanent ceasefire and the immediate entry of humanitarian aid to
Gaza, Turkey in August closed its airspace to Israeli planes in protest at the
ongoing war in Gaza. “We have completely cut off our trade with Israel. We do
not allow Turkish ships to go to Israeli ports. We do not allow their planes to
enter our airspace,” Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan had told a special
parliamentary debate on Gaza in Ankara.
UK police arrest dozens at latest protest for banned Palestine Action
Reuters/06 September /2025
British police arrested dozens more people on Saturday under anti-terrorism laws
for demonstrating in support of Palestine Action, a pro-Palestinian group banned
by the government as a terrorist organization. Britain banned Palestine Action
under anti-terrorism legislation in July after some of its members broke into a
Royal Air Force base and damaged military planes. The group accuses Britain’s
government of complicity in what it says are Israeli war crimes in Gaza. Police
have arrested hundreds of Palestine Action supporters in recent weeks under
anti-terrorism legislation, including over 500 in just one day last month, many
of them over the age of 60. On Saturday, hundreds of demonstrators gathered near
parliament in central London to protest against the ban on Saturday, with many
holding up signs that said: “I oppose genocide. I support Palestine
Action.”London’s Metropolitan Police said officers had begun arresting those
expressing support for Palestine Action. Police did not say how many arrests
were made but a Reuters witness said dozens of people were detained. Palestine
Action’s ban, or proscription, puts the group alongside al-Qaeda and ISIS and
makes it a crime to support or belong to the organization, punishable by up to
14 years in prison. “I can be unequivocal, if you show support for Palestine
Action – an offense under the Terrorism Act – you will be arrested,” Met Deputy
Assistant Commissioner Ade Adelekan said on Friday.“We have the officer numbers,
custody capacity and all other resources to process as many people as is
required.”Human rights groups have criticized Britain’s decision to ban the
group as disproportionate and say it limits the freedom of expression of
peaceful protesters. The government has accused Palestine Action of causing
millions of pounds worth of criminal damage and says the ban does not prevent
other pro-Palestinian protests.
Iraq moves to revive Syrian export route, expand refining
capacity
Arab News/September 06, 2025
BAGHDAD: Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia Al-Sudani said on Saturday that his
government has begun work to revive the Iraqi-Syrian oil export line as part of
efforts to diversify export outlets and expand refining capacity. Speaking at
the Baghdad International Energy Forum, Al-Sudani said talks had been held
“weeks ago” on reactivating the route, adding that work was underway on a 685 km
Basra–Haditha pipeline aligned with the project. “Iraqi oil will continue to
feed global markets for more than 120 years at the least estimates, although our
export share is not commensurate with the size of the reserve, productive
capacity and population,” he said, according to the Iraq News Agency. Al-Sudani
highlighted the government’s drive to attract investment, particularly in
refining and gas utilization. He said Iraq aims to end the flaring of associated
gas and make full use of around 1.3 billion standard cubic feet per day.
He also noted expansions at existing refineries, the inauguration of the Karbala
refinery, and six new investment opportunities in the refining sector designed
to strengthen partnerships with the private sector. Al-Sudani said Iraq’s
strategic goal was to convert at least 40 percent of its crude production into
higher-value derivatives by 2030, with several projects already launched to
support the plan.
Turkiye opposition calls extraordinary congress for Sept 21
AFP/September 06, 2025
ISTANBUL: Turkiye’s main opposition party has announced it will hold an
extraordinary congress on September 21 after a court ousted its Istanbul
leadership on graft allegations, a party source confirmed to AFP on Saturday.
The decision comes amid growing political pressure on the Republican People’s
Party (CHP) after a court this week annulled the outcome of its Istanbul
provincial congress in October 2023, throwing out its leader Ozgur Celik and 195
others. More than 900 CHP delegates on Friday submitted a petition to a local
election board in the capital Ankara to authorize the congress, the source told
AFP.
The congress is expected to shape the party’s strategy as it faces legal
uncertainty. The CHP, the largest opposition force in the Turkish parliament,
won a huge victory over President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s AKP in the 2024 local
elections. Since then, the party has become a target of a wave of arrests and
legal cases that culminated in March with the jailing of Istanbul’s popular and
powerful mayor Ekrem Imamoglu on corruption allegations that he denies. The
arrest and jailing of Imamoglu, seen as a key rival to Erdogan, sparked street
protests unprecedentedly in a decade.Authorities have clamped down on
demonstrations detaining nearly 2,000 people including students and journalists
— most of whom were later released. On Tuesday, the court ousted the CHP
Istanbul leader and scores of party delegates and named a five-man team to
replace them in a move that saw the stock market plunge 5.5 percent. The CHP has
filed an appeal against the ruling. Political analyst Berk Esen told AFP the
move was a “rehearsal” for the bigger case against the party’s national
leadership seeking to hobble it as an opposition force.
’CHP stands tall’-
An almost identical lawsuit is hanging over its national leadership in a
closely-watched case that will resume in Ankara on September 15. A petition of
over 900 party delegates demanding an extraordinary congress within just a day
and a half comes against the possibility of a similar court ruling, observers
say. Gul Ciftci, a CHP deputy leader responsible for election and legal affairs,
said the extraordinary congress “will not only determine the future of our party
but will also reaffirm faith in pluralism, diversity, and democratic politics in
Turkiye,” in a comment on X on Friday. She hailed the decision for the congress,
made with the delegates’ will, as “the strongest proof that the CHP stands tall
against all attempts at intervention by the government.”The party source told
AFP that to boost the chances of the request for an extraordinary congress being
accepted, signatures were not collected from the 196 Istanbul delegates who were
suspended by the court order.
Displaced Bedouin families in limbo as Syrian government and Druze authorities
remain at odds
AP/September 06, 2025 05:21
ABTAA, Syria: The classrooms at a school building in Abtaa, in Syria’s southern
province of Daraa, have turned into living quarters housing three or four
families each. Because of the lack of privacy and close quarters, the woman and
children sleep inside, with the men bedding down outside in the courtyard. The
Bedouin families evacuated their villages during sectarian fighting more than a
month ago in neighboring Sweida province. Since then, the central government in
Damascus has been in a standoff with local Druze authorities in Sweida, while
the displaced have been left in a state of limbo. Munira Al-Hamad, a 56-year-old
from the village of Al-Kafr in the Sweida countryside, is staying with her
family in the school, which is set to reopen this month. If that happens, she
doesn’t know where her family will go. “We don’t want to live in tents. We want
the government to find us houses or someplace fit to live,” she said. “It’s
impossible for anyone to return home. Just because you’re Muslim, they’ll see
you as the enemy in Sweida.”
Conflict displaces tens of thousands
What began last month with small-scale clashes between local Sunni Muslim
Bedouin clans and members of the Druze sect — who are a minority in Syria but
the majority in Sweida — escalated into heavy fighting between Bedouins and
government fighters on one side and Druze armed groups on the other. Israel
intervened on the side of the Druze, launching airstrikes. Hundreds of
civilians, mostly Druze, were killed and Sweida has remained under what
residents describe as a siege since then, with limited aid and supplies going
in. Amnesty International reported this week that it had documented 46 cases of
“Druze men and women deliberately and unlawfully killed,” in some cases by
“government and government-affiliated forces in military and security uniforms.”
Although the fighting has subsided, more than 164,000 people remain displaced by
the conflict, according to UN figures. They include Druze internally displaced
within Sweida and Bedouins who fled or were evacuated from the province and now
see little prospect of going back, raising the prospect of permanent demographic
change. Al-Hamad said her family “remained under siege for 15 days, without
bread or anything coming in” before the Syrian Arab Red Crescent evacuated them.
Her cousin and a neighbor were attacked by armed men as they fled and had their
cars stolen with all the belongings they were transporting, she said. Jarrah
Al-Mohammad, 24, said dozens of residents trekked overnight on foot to escape
when the fighting reached their village, Sahwat Balata. Nine people from the
area were gunned down by Druze militants, including three children under the age
of 15, all of them unarmed, he said. The Associated Press could not
independently verify the account. “No one has gone back. There are houses that
they burned and destroyed and stole the furniture,” he said. “We can’t return to
Sweida — there’s no longer security between us and the Druze … And we’re the
minority in Sweida.” At a hotel in the Damascus suburb of Sayyida Zeinab that
has been converted into a shelter for the displaced, Hamoud Al-Mukhmas and his
wife, Munira Al-Sayyad, are mourning their 21- and 23-year-old sons. They said
the two were shot and killed by militants, along with Hamoud’s niece and cousin,
while unarmed and trying to flee their home in the town of Shahba. Al-Sayyad is
unhappy in the hotel room, where she has no kitchen to cook for her younger
children. The family said food aid is sporadic. “I need assistance and I need
money — we don’t have a house,” Al-Mukhmas said. ”I don’t think we’ll go back —
we’d go back and find the Druze living in our houses.”
Few answers from the government
Government officials have insisted that the displacement is temporary, but have
not offered any “clarity on for how long people will be displaced, what are the
mechanisms or plans or strategies that they have in order to bring them back,”
said Haid Haid, a senior research fellow at the Arab Reform Initiative and the
Chatham House think tank. Returning the displaced to their homes will likely
require a political solution that appears to be far off, given that the
government in Damascus and de facto authorities in Sweida are not even holding
direct talks, he said. Sheikh Hikmat Al-Hijri, a prominent Druze leader in
Sweida, is calling for independence for southern Syria — a demand rejected by
Damascus — and recently announced the formation of a “national guard” formed
from several Druze armed factions. Government officials declined to comment on
their plans for addressing the displacement. For some, the situation recalls
unpleasant memories from Syria’s nearly 14-year civil war, when fighters and
civilians opposed to former President Bashar Assad were evacuated from areas
retaken from rebels by government forces. The green buses that transported them
became for many a symbol of exile and defeat.
Intercommunal tensions now harder to solve
The Bedouins in Sweida, who historically work as livestock herders, consider
themselves the original inhabitants of the land before the Druze came in the
18th century, fleeing violence in what is now Lebanon. The two communities have
largely coexisted, but there have been periodic tensions and violence.
In 2000, a Bedouin killed a Druze man in a land dispute and government forces
intervened, shooting Druze protesters. After a 2018 Daesh group attack on the
Druze in Sweida that killed more than 200 people, the Druze accused the Bedouins
of helping the militants. The latest escalation began with a Bedouin tribe in
Sweida setting up a checkpoint and attacking and robbing a Druze man, which
triggered tit-for-tat attacks and kidnappings. But tensions had been rising
before that. A Bedouin man displaced from Al-Kafr, who spoke on condition of
anonymity out of security fears, said that his brother was kidnapped and held
for ransom in 2018 by an armed group affiliated with Al-Hijri. On July 12, a day
before the clashes started, he said, a group of armed men came to the family’s
home and threatened his father, forcing him to sign a paper giving up possession
of the house. The Druze “are not all bad people,” he said. “Some of them
supported us kindly, but there are also bad militants.”He threatened that “if
the state does not find a solution after our homes have been occupied, we will
take our rights into our own hands.”Al-Sayyad, the mother of the two young men
killed, also took a vengeful tone. “I want the government to do to these people
what they did to my sons,” she said. Haid said that intercommunal tensions could
be resolved with time but have now become secondary to the larger political
issues between Damascus and Sweida. “Unless there is some sort of dialogue in
order to overcome those difference, it’s difficult to imagine how the local
disputes will be solved,” he said.
’Trump’s legacy crumbles’, Israelis call on US President to end Gaza war
Reuters/September 07, 2025
TEL AVIV: Thousands of Israelis rallied in Tel Aviv on Saturday night, issuing
direct appeals to US President Donald Trump to force an end to the Gaza war and
secure the release of the hostages. Protesters packed a public square outside
the military headquarters, waving Israeli flags and holding placards with images
of the hostages. Some carried signs, including one that read: ‘Trump’s legacy
crumbles as the Gaza war persists’.
Another said: “PRESIDENT TRUMP, SAVE THE HOSTAGES NOW!“
“We think that Trump is the only man in the world who has authority over Bibi,
that can force Bibi to do this,” said Tel Aviv resident Boaz, 40, referring to
the Israeli prime minister. There is growing despair among many Israelis at
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu who has ordered the military to capture a
major urban center where hostages may be held.Families of the hostages and their
supporters fear the assault on Gaza City could endanger their loved ones, a
concern the military leadership shares, according to Israeli officials. Orna
Neutra, the mother of an Israeli soldier who was killed on October 7, 2023 and
whose body is being held in Gaza by militants, accused the government of
abandoning its citizens. “We truly hope that the United States will push both
sides to finally reach a comprehensive deal that will bring them home,” she told
the rally. Her son, Omer, is also American. Tel Aviv has witnessed weekly
demonstrations that have grown in size, with protesters demanding that the
government secure a ceasefire with Hamas to obtain the release of hostages.
Organizers said Saturday night’s rally was attended by tens of thousands. A
large demonstration was also held in Jerusalem.
NO PURPOSE
Trump had pledged a swift end to the war in Gaza during his presidential
campaign, but nearly eight months into his second term, a resolution has
remained elusive. On Friday, he said that Washington was engaged in “very deep”
negotiations with Hamas. Israeli forces have carried out heavy strikes on the
suburbs of Gaza City, where, according to a global hunger monitor, hundreds of
thousands of Palestinians are facing famine. Israeli officials acknowledge that
hunger exists in Gaza but deny that the territory is facing famine. On Saturday,
the military warned civilians in Gaza City to leave and move to southern Gaza.
There are hundreds of thousands of Palestinians sheltering in the city that was
home to around a million before the war. A video released by Hamas on Friday
featured Israeli hostage Guy Gilboa-Dalal, 24, saying that he was being held in
Gaza City and feared being killed by the military’s assault on the city. Rights
groups have condemned such videos of hostages as inhumane. Israel says that it
is psychological warfare. The war has become unpopular among some segments of
Israeli society, and opinion polls show that most Israelis want Netanyahu’s
right-wing government to negotiate a permanent ceasefire with Hamas that secures
the release of the hostages.“The war has no purpose at all, except for violence
and death,” said Boaz from Tel Aviv. Adam, 48, said it had become obvious that
soldiers were being sent to war for “nothing.”Hamas has offered to release some
hostages for a temporary ceasefire, similar to terms that were discussed in July
before negotiations mediated by the US and Arab states collapsed. The militant
group, which has ruled Gaza for nearly two decades but today controls only parts
of the enclave, on Saturday once again said that it would release all hostages
if Israel agreed to end the war and withdraw its forces from Gaza. Netanyahu is
pushing for an all-or-nothing deal that would see all of the hostages released
at once and Hamas surrendering. The prime minister has said Gaza City is a Hamas
stronghold and capturing it is necessary to defeat the Palestinian militant
group, whose October 2023 attack on Israel led to the war. Hamas has
acknowledged it would no longer govern Gaza once the war ends but has refused to
discuss laying down its weapons.
US President Trump says more Gaza hostages may be dead
AFP/06 September/2025
US President Donald Trump said Friday that more hostages may have died in Gaza
and that the United States was in “deep negotiation” with Hamas amid a new
Israeli offensive. “There could be some that have recently died, is what I’m
hearing. I hope that’s wrong, but you have over 30 bodies in this negotiation,”
Trump, a staunch ally of Israel, told reporters in the Oval Office. Militants
seized 251 hostages during the massive October 7, 2023 Hamas attack on Israel,
with 47 still in Gaza. The Israeli military says 25 of them are dead. Israel is
seeking the return of their remains. Trump at one point said there were “about
38 dead people -- young, beautiful dead people” before giving the numbers of 20
and then 30. Trump suggested that the United States remained in talks with
Hamas. “We’re in very deep negotiation with Hamas,” Trump said. On Hamas-held
hostages, Trump said, “We said let them all out right now, let them all out, and
much better things will happen for them. “But if you don’t let them all out,
it’s going to be a tough situation, it’s going to be nasty.”Israel plans to
seize Gaza City, the largest city in the territory already in rubble from the
war, and has warned it will target all tall buildings it believes are used by
Hamas.The October 7 attack resulted in the deaths of 1,219 people, mostly
civilians, according to an AFP tally based on Israeli figures. Israel’s attacks
have killed at least 64,300 Palestinians, most of them civilians, according to
figures from the health ministry in Gaza.
How war’s hidden weapons endanger culture and communities from Syria to Ukraine
GABRIELE MALVISI/Arab News/September 06/2025
LONDON: Ancient landmarks across the Middle East and Central Asia face not only
the ravages of time but also landmines and explosives from years of war. From
the colonnades of Palmyra in Syria to Afghanistan’s Herat Citadel, cultural
treasures remain at risk and often out of reach. The danger goes far beyond
heritage. Despite being banned in 165 countries under the 1997 Ottawa
Convention, landmines remain entrenched in conflict zones, claiming lives and
causing life-altering injuries. In 2023, they caused 2,426 deaths and 3,331
injuries worldwide, according to the Landmine and Cluster Munition Monitor.
Civilians made up 84 percent of the victims, and more than one-third were
children. The toll — the highest for the ninth year in a row — reflects both an
increase in armed conflicts and the growing use of improvised mines. The use of
landmines “on such an extensive scale” presents immediate dangers and long-term
consequences, as “areas remain contaminated for extended periods, causing
casualties long after the violence has ceased,” according to Anne Hery, advocacy
director at Humanity and Inclusion. Yemen shows the scale of the challenge. The
Masam project, which Arab News explored in The demining initiative, run by Saudi
Arabia’s King Salman Humanitarian Aid and Relief Center, has helped reduce the
threat posed by landmines to civilians, including children, women and the
elderly. Although fighting in Yemen has subsided, the legacy remains deadly — in
2023 alone, 499 people were killed or injured by mines.Yemen, along with Syria,
Afghanistan, Iraq, Myanmar, Ukraine and parts of Africa, remains among the
hardest-hit regions.
Infographic from the Landmine Monitor 2024 report
The danger is not limited to civilians, however. Landmines and unexploded
ordnance also threaten a key part of the identity of nations: cultural heritage.
“There’s always going to be war, and it’s hard to see a conflict where there’s
not going to be some residual risk of explosive contamination to civilians, and
that’s where we come into it,” Damien O’Brien, operations manager for The HALO
Trust’s Middle East programs, told Arab News.
Infographic from the Landmine Monitor 2024 report
Founded in Kabul in 1988 in response to the crisis left by the Soviet
withdrawal, HALO now operates in 30 countries with a staff of more than 9,000.
The Middle East remains a priority, where clearing mines in urban and rural
areas, including heritage sites, is essential to giving communities, and their
culture, a chance to recover. “Any site, regardless of what it is, needs to be
surveyed so that we understand what the conflict history was, what the evidence
is of any remaining unexploded items, and then also what is the intended use of
that site,” O’Brien said.
FASTFACTS:
• Historic areas in Syria’s Hama, Homs, Aleppo and Damascus suburbs are heavily
mined or contaminated with unexploded ordnance after over 14 years of conflict.
• Afghanistan is one of the world’s most heavily mined countries, with millions
of explosives posing risks to civilians and heritage sites.
• The HALO Trust and other groups are clearing mines in Syria, Yemen,
Afghanistan, Sudan and beyond. Where people have remained active, he added, many
“hazardous items have probably been found and removed.”
The impact goes beyond safety. “What we do reduces the number of casualties
because we’re removing items, but it is also designed to help restore
livelihoods,” O’Brien said. “And of course, tourism is extremely important in a
place like Syria or Afghanistan.”
Years of war have devastated economies across Afghanistan, Iraq and Syria.
O’Brien emphasized that HALO’s work seeks to balance humanitarian needs with
development.
“You might say that getting people back to their homes and resettled is a more
urgent priority in terms of human safety and in terms of the economy than
rehabilitating heritage sites,” he said. “That’s a discussion.”
Ultimately, he added, the decision is one for “the local government to make — we
would work in line with their reconstruction strategy.”
HALO operates across the region during and after conflict, often in partnership
with local and international authorities.
In Afghanistan, O’Brien noted, a robust mine action system has endured through
political upheaval, enabling HALO to clear about 30,000 tons of ammunition at
sites including Kabul’s Bala Hissar fort, Ghazni Bala Hissar and the Herat
Citadel. At the latter, HALO partnered with the Aga Khan Trust for Culture,
which carried out conservation work.
The organization also assisted the Turquoise Mountain Foundation at Shashpul
Caravanserai near Bamiyan, along the Silk Road, and cleared ordnance from the
Musallah Minarets complex in Herat. Removing mines from historic sites is
especially difficult. At the Musallah Minarets — a 13th-century complex of
mausoleums, madrassas and mosques once home to 20 towers, now reduced to five
and a half — clearance required careful manual excavation.
Carried out between 2017 and 2018, O’Brien said the intervention was prompted by
a child’s accident with an anti-personnel mine near the site.
“There was a lot of important archeological excavation work that needed to be
done,” he said. “And suddenly local museum officials were aware that there was a
risk of explosive ordnance. “It was quite a delicate operation. Because of the
proximity to these monuments, we were not able to use machines, (such as)
mechanical excavators with armor.
“So, we had to dig manually, sometimes as deep as a meter.”
This picture taken on November 10, 2021 shows a deminer from the HALO Trust
scanning the ground for mines with a hand-metal detector in Nad-e-Ali village in
Helmand province. (AFP) During the work, complicated by ongoing archaeological
digs, HALO teams discovered “sacks” full of blue mosaic fragments that had
fallen from the minarets. The pieces were carefully sorted and catalogued at the
local museum.
O’Brien was also among the first to return to Palmyra in central Syria after the
fall of Bashar Assad’s regime on Dec. 8. The ancient site, dating to the
Neolithic period, held some of the best-preserved Roman ruins before Daesh
militants arrived.
However, Daesh caused extensive destruction and violence in Palmyra between 2015
and 2017. The terrorist group destroyed iconic historic monuments, including the
Temple of Bel, Temple of Baalshamin, the Arch of Triumph, and parts of the Roman
theater using explosives and sledgehammers.
In 2015, Daesh executed the 82-year-old head of antiquities, archaeologist
Khaled Al-Asaad, publicly beheading him for refusing to reveal the locations of
hidden artifacts.
“We had this request to go out to the eastern border, and it was on the way, and
couldn’t really miss the opportunity,” O’Brien said. “I went with a Syrian
colleague who had never visited Palmyra even before the war.”
The visit provided a preliminary assessment of the extensive work needed.
O’Brien expressed hope that HALO would soon be involved in clearing the site.
For now, the group is focused on training Syrians and Afghans, many formerly
engaged in risk education, to take on demining and site restoration.
“When we gave them the opportunity to train to dispose of these items, both men
and women, seize the opportunity,” he said. “I think that to be taking on such
an important role in the reconstruction of their country is something that they
feel tremendously proud of.”
Reflecting on the value of restoring heritage, O’Brien said he feels
“privileged” to have contributed. Labourers work at the site of the remains of
the Triumphal Arch of Septimius Severus built during the reign of the
3rd-century Roman emperor, and destroyed by Islamic State (IS) group militants
in 2015, in the ruins of Syria's Roman-era ancient city of Palmyra on May 9,
2022. “My academic background is in ancient languages. I studied those because I
thought that was the best way for me to try to understand the world (and) to
understand where cultures come from,” he said. “Whatever is happening at the
moment, or whatever happened in recent history, there was a time before, and
there’ll be a time afterward. “A very unpleasant chapter in Syria’s history has
just ended. Anything historical that predates that is a common heritage. It’s
something which will bring people together at some point.”Ultimately, O’Brien
said, “when people have been through such an appallingly traumatic experience
where so many things have been broken, that process of reconnection, however
done, is extremely valuable.”
The Latest English LCCC analysis &
editorials from miscellaneous sources
on September
06-07/2025
From Sydney to Buenos Aires: Iran's Global Terror Campaign
Dr. Majid Rafizadeh/Gatestone Institute/September 06/2025
https://eliasbejjaninews.com/2025/09/147050/
Investigations revealed that the
IRGC had employed intermediaries in Australia, including organized crime
networks, to carry out these attacks, demonstrating the regime's continuing
reliance on proxies to pursue its hostile objectives abroad.
From the 1980s onward. Iran has been implicated in multiple deadly attacks
against American troops in Lebanon, killing hundreds of U.S. diplomats and
military personnel, all carried out by Hezbollah under Tehran's guidance.
The Iranian regime also had a role in the September 11, 2001 attacks on the US.
In 2018, a U.S. federal court ruling determined that Iran provided material
support to Al-Qaeda in the period leading up to and following the 9/11 attacks,
resulting in a multibillion-dollar judgment for the families of the victims.
[I]t is difficult to understand why some international actors have advocated for
engagement, negotiation or sanctions relief with Iran. Diplomatic overtures and
economic incentives have not only failed to curb the regime's aggressive
behavior; they have emboldened it.
Closing Iranian embassies and consulates, expelling diplomats, and halting trade
with Iran -- and especially secondary sanctions: banning trade with countries
that trade with Iran -- would disrupt its operations, curb its influence, and
send a message that the regime's pattern of aggression and antisemitism will not
be tolerated.Closing Iranian embassies and consulates, expelling diplomats, and
halting trade with Iran -- and especially secondary sanctions: banning trade
with countries that trade with Iran -- would disrupt its operations, curb its
influence, and send a message that the regime's pattern of aggression and
antisemitism will not be tolerated. Iran's deep involvement in antisemitic
attacks in Australia should serve as a kick-in-the-head wake-up call to the
European Union and the wider international community. Australia made the
unprecedented decision to expel the Iranian ambassador, Ahmad Sadeghi, the first
such diplomatic action in the country since World War II. This unexpectedly
welcome action came after the Australian Security Intelligence Organisation
uncovered that Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) had orchestrated
a series of antisemitic attacks on Australian soil. The attacks targeted a
kosher restaurant in Sydney and a synagogue in Melbourne, causing significant
property damage and sowing fear within the Jewish community, although
fortunately nobody was killed in the attacks. Investigations revealed that the
IRGC had employed intermediaries in Australia, including organized crime
networks, to carry out these attacks, demonstrating the regime's continuing
reliance on proxies to pursue its hostile objectives abroad.
Despite Iran's official denial of these allegations -- calling them as baseless
and a conspiracy to undermine Iran-Australia relations -- the Australian
government stood firm, emphasizing that such acts of terrorism and antisemitism
could not be tolerated. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, further solidifying
Australia's stance, signaled plans to designate the IRGC as a terrorist
organization. This move underscores the necessity of a proactive and
uncompromising approach to dealing with a regime that consistently operates
through violence and intimidation, setting a clear contrast to the more cautious
diplomatic engagements often observed from the European Union and the West.
The attacks in Australia are just part of a broader pattern of antisemitism and
bellicosity from the Iranian regime against Jewish communities across the world.
Iran's belligerency toward Jewish communities extended far beyond its borders.
For decades, Iran, using terror and intimidation to advance its ideological
agenda. Iran has systematically targeted Jewish institutions and individuals in
multiple countries. The 1994 bombing of the AMIA Jewish community center in
Buenos Aires, killed 85 people. Investigations revealed that Iran directed this
attack in coordination with Hezbollah operatives, who carried out the bombing
under Tehran's supervision. In 2024, Argentine courts, labeling Iran a terrorist
state, reaffirmed its culpability for the 1994 terror attack. Iran's predations
not limited just to antisemitism; they extend broadly to global terrorism They
have targeted Americans and other Westerners in foreign countries, from the
1980s onward. Iran has been implicated in multiple deadly attacks against
American troops in Lebanon, killing hundreds of U.S. diplomats and military
personnel, all carried out by Hezbollah under Tehran's guidance.
The Iranian regime also had a role in the September 11, 2001 attacks on the US.
In 2018, a U.S. federal court ruling determined that Iran provided material
support to Al-Qaeda in the period leading up to and following the 9/11 attacks,
resulting in a multibillion-dollar judgment for the families of the victims.
Iran regularly uses violent tactics abroad to advance its strategic goals,
leveraging proxy organizations, so that Iran can maintain plausible deniability.
The regime has also targeted exiled Iranian dissidents in countries such as Iraq
and Turkey, and has abducted and assassinated individuals who oppose it.
The regime actively plots terrorist attacks abroad, often leveraging its
diplomatic missions as hubs for coordination with proxy groups and intelligence
gathering.
Domestically, Iran's record is equally troubling. The regime routinely
suppresses its own citizens through brutal measures, which include arbitrary
detention, torture and executions, and demonstrates a savage disregard for civil
liberties and human life. Human rights organizations have documented instances
where even minors have been subjected to violent repression, including hanging
children as young as nine (more atrocities here, here and here).
This dual approach — external aggression coupled with domestic repression —
demonstrates a regime that thrives on intimidation, using both overt and covert
operations to project power and maintain its authoritarian grip, leaving the
international community exposed to its persistent threat.
Given Iran's long, documented history of antisemitism, terrorism and domestic
repression, it is difficult to understand why some international actors have
advocated for engagement, negotiation or sanctions relief with Iran. Diplomatic
overtures and economic incentives have not only failed to curb the regime's
aggressive behavior; they have emboldened it. Australia's unequivocal response
to Iranian terrorism is instructive. By expelling Iran's ambassador, severing
diplomatic ties, and moving toward formally designating the IRGC as a terrorist
organization, Australia has set a precedent that European nations and other
members of the international community would do well to follow. Closing Iranian
embassies and consulates, expelling diplomats, and halting trade with Iran --
and especially secondary sanctions: banning trade with countries that trade with
Iran -- would disrupt its operations, curb its influence, and send a message
that the regime's pattern of aggression and antisemitism will not be tolerated.
The Israeli and American airstrikes on Iran's nuclear weapons sites, and now
Australia's decisive new stance, demonstrate the path forward: a refusal to
tolerate terror by a regime that has brought nothing but suffering and
instability, both inside Iran and across the globe.
**Dr. Majid Rafizadeh, is a political scientist, Harvard-educated analyst, and
board member of Harvard International Review. He has authored several books on
the US foreign policy. He can be reached at dr.rafizadeh@post.harvard.edu
**Follow Majid Rafizadeh on X (formerly Twitter)
https://outlook.live.com/mail/0/inbox/id/AAkALgAAAAAAHYQDEapmEc2byACqAC%2FEWg0AQD3AMaXtfEW1haoJocBU4gAIhzKGRQAA
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Question: “What does it mean to grieve the Holy Spirit (Ephesians 4:30)?”
GotQuestions.org/September 06/2025
Answer: In an extended practical teaching on holy living (Ephesians 4:17—5:21),
the apostle Paul tells believers, “Do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, with
whom you were sealed for the day of redemption” (Ephesians 4:30). His command
not to grieve the Spirit falls under Paul’s initial instructions covering what
not to do to cultivate holiness and walk in Christian purity.
grieve Holy Spirit
The Greek word translated as “grieve” in Ephesians 4:30 means “to cause to feel
sorrow, pain, unhappiness, or distress.” As the third Person of the Trinity, the
Holy Spirit has a personality and the ability to feel emotions like joy (Luke
10:21), outrage (Hebrews 10:29, ESV), and sorrow (Ephesians 4:30, NLT).
In Acts 7:51, Stephen condemns “resisting” the Spirit, and in 1 Thessalonians
5:19, Paul instructs believers not to “quench” the Spirit. But the only time
“grieving” the Spirit is mentioned in the New Testament is here in Ephesians
4:30. Paul’s command not to grieve the Spirit seems to be inspired by two Old
Testament verses that speak of God’s Spirit being “distressed,” “grieved”
(Isaiah 63:9–10), and “made bitter” (Psalm 106:33, ESV). In both Isaiah 63:9–10
and Ephesians 4:30, grieving the Holy Spirit is associated with God’s people
having an inappropriate response to His redemption.
“Do not grieve the Spirit” appears to complement Paul’s opening exhortation to
“live a life worthy of the calling you have received. Be completely humble and
gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love. Make every effort to keep
the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace” (Ephesians 4:1–3). Believers
grieve the Spirit when they do not maintain peace and harmony in the body of
Christ.
Paul then gives specific ways we grieve the Spirit by living as we used to
before our salvation when we were “separated from the life of God” (Ephesians
4:17–19). We grieve Him when we don’t speak truthfully to our brothers and
sisters in Christ (Ephesians 4:25), when we let anger control our actions
(4:26–27), when we steal from each other (4:28) and when we speak foul and
abusive words to one another, instead of uplifting and encouraging words (4:29).
We also grieve the Spirit when we don’t “get rid of all bitterness, rage, anger,
harsh words, and slander, as well as all types of evil behavior” (Ephesians
4:31, NLT), and when we fail to “be kind to each other, tenderhearted, forgiving
one another, just as God through Christ has forgiven you” (Ephesians 4:32, NLT).
The Holy Spirit of God lives within the Christian (John 14:17; 2 Timothy 1:14).
We are His temple (1 Corinthians 3:16), and when we don’t walk in the holiness
and love of Christ and in harmony with fellow believers, we grieve the Spirit of
God with our sinful thoughts and behaviors (Ephesians 5:1–21).
Grieving the Holy Spirit is similar to “quenching” the Holy Spirit (1
Thessalonians 5:19) in that both negatively impact the believer, the church, and
the world. Quenching the Spirit speaks of stifling or suppressing the fire of
God’s Spirit that burns within every believer. The Holy Spirit desires to
express Himself in our actions and attitudes. When we do not allow God’s Spirit
to be seen in our behavior, when we do what we know is wrong, we suppress or
quench the Spirit. We do not allow the Spirit to reveal Himself as He wants to,
with “love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,
gentleness and self-control” (Galatians 5:22–23). Both quenching the Spirit and
grieving the Spirit hinder a godly lifestyle. Both happen when we sin against
God and follow our own worldly desires, living as we did before accepting
Christ’s salvation. The only correct road to follow is the one that leads the
believer closer to God and purity and farther away from the world and sin. Just
as we do not like to be grieved, and just as we do not seek to quench what is
good, we should not quench or grieve the Holy Spirit by refusing to follow His
leading.
Israel and the Houthis Are Entering a Dangerous Escalation Cycle
April Longley Alley/Washington Institute/September 05/2025
Despite their confident saber rattling, both sides face real constraints that
could impede their operational goals, and their actions increase the risks to
maritime security, energy exports, and broader regional stability. Festering
hostilities between Israel and the Yemeni Houthis saw another significant shift
over the past week. On August 28, an Israeli airstrike in Sanaa killed at least
twelve members of the Houthi-controlled government, including the prime
minister, and critically injured many others (though the degree to which these
ministers were actually affiliated with the group is complicated, as will be
discussed below). In response, the Houthis appointed an acting prime minister,
organized a massive funeral for the slain officials, and continued their barrage
of missiles toward Israel, none causing damage, but one of which carried a
cluster bomb warhead (only the second reported use of this weapon). They also
fired a missile at the Israeli-owned chemical/oil tanker Scarlet Ray on
September 1 as it was sailing near Saudi Arabia’s Red Sea port of Yanbu—an area
that is outside the group’s normal range for maritime attacks and dangerously
close to critical energy export facilities. A day later, they claimed a drone
and missile attack on the Liberian-flagged container ship MSC ABY in the
northern Red Sea, which is still unconfirmed as of this writing. Israel’s
decision to target the government seems predictable in hindsight. Relying in
part on support and arms from Iran, the Houthis have been attacking Israeli
territory and commercial shipping in the Red Sea under the banner of “defending
Palestine” since the Gaza war began in 2023. Israel held its fire for months
until July 2024, when a Houthi strike resulted in a civilian casualty. Since
then, Israeli forces have bombed infrastructure in Houthi-controlled areas,
targeting the Red Sea port of Hodeida, Sanaa airport, power stations, and fuel
facilities. The decapitation of the Houthi-controlled government is a dramatic
reminder of Jerusalem’s determination to strike back at the most active branch
of Iran’s “axis of resistance” and deter future attacks. The operation was
enabled by Israel’s stepped-up intelligence gathering in Yemen, which reportedly
includes a new unit of 200 intelligence personnel. Fearing such penetration, the
Houthis have amplified their internal crackdown efforts since the strike,
targeting perceived spies and internal dissenters. They even raided UN
facilities in Sanaa, detaining at least nineteen staff. Going forward, the
incident will almost certainly push the Houthi leadership further underground,
slowing the group’s communications and possibly interfering with the frequency
and lethality of its attacks. Yet the Israeli operation is also notable for what
it did not do. None of the confirmed dead were Houthi military or political
decisionmakers. In fact, the majority of these officials—including the prime
minister and foreign minister—were not part of the Houthi movement at all, but
Yemeni politicians and technocrats who hailed from various parties and regions
and had no adherence to Houthi ideology. In effect, the Israelis eliminated a
largely figurehead government. Moreover, some of those killed and injured were
individuals who could have communicated with and influenced the Houthis if
negotiations to end Yemen’s civil war ever resume. In conversations with the
author, Yemenis have expressed concerns that the Sanaa strike will work to the
Houthis’ advantage, facilitating their internal crackdown and unifying residents
in opposition to a common Israeli foe. Meanwhile, efforts to target the core
Houthi military and political leadership will likely become even more difficult
given their growing wariness and decades of experience hiding in the north.The
immediate trajectory seems to be mutual military escalation. The Houthis have
threatened revenge and declared that they will continue their attacks, while
Israeli officials warned that this is only the start of a campaign against the
group’s leadership—one that could continue even if the Houthis follow through on
their promise to halt attacks once a ceasefire is reached in Gaza. The targeting
of a ship off the northern Saudi coast is a particularly worrisome step. If it
proves to be the start of a Houthi campaign in parts of the Red Sea that were
previously deemed safe, it would seriously challenge the group’s detente with
Saudi Arabia, which the kingdom is keen to maintain. Clearly, the group’s
leaders are sending a message to Riyadh that they will escalate if they are
squeezed further. Despite their confident, even arrogant, saber rattling, both
the Houthis and Israel face real constraints. If Israel continues striking
leadership and infrastructure targets, it will present logistical challenges to
Houthi military operations. Killing key leaders could even destabilize the group
and loosen its grip on northern Yemen, though this effect would likely be
temporary—after all, the factions that compose the internationally recognized
Yemeni government are deeply divided and at times more inclined to fight each
other than the Houthis, so they are hardly positioned to reassert control in the
event of further Israeli decapitation strikes. For its part, Jerusalem will have
to deal with the budgetary and logistical challenges of sustaining military
operations in a country over 2,000 kilometers away, particularly amid a long
list of other regional priorities (though it may see benefit in terms of
obtaining operational experience and telegraphing its capabilities to Tehran).
Moreover, airpower alone—even a brutal application that targets critical
infrastructure—will not halt Houthi attacks or dislodge the group from power. In
short, both sides appear to be entering a dangerous period of escalation whose
only guaranteed outcome is more suffering for civilians and increased risks to
maritime and regional security.
April Longley Alley is a senior fellow at The Washington Institute and former
senior political advisor to the UN special envoy for Yemen.
Iran’s Nuclear Reconstitution Options
Richard Nephew//Washington Institute/September 04/2025
Iran’s leaders have several paths to restoring or reconfiguring their nuclear
program—some more realistic or risky than others—so Washington should focus on
shaping which route they choose rather than discounting the possibility
altogether.
Immediately following the cessation of hostilities between Israel, the United
States, and Iran in June, debate erupted about Tehran’s ability to reconstitute
its nuclear program. Yet there has been less public consideration of what
rebuilding might actually mean. Iran took the better part of twenty years to
build the program in the first place; does it intend to follow that blueprint
again or build something different?
Warring Timelines and Definitions
The Trump administration initially claimed that the nuclear program was “totally
obliterated” and that Iran would not choose to rebuild its uranium enrichment
capabilities, essentially precluding any estimated timelines for potential
reconstitution. Shortly thereafter, however, U.S. language shifted to a more
technocratic bent as the CIA, Israel, France, the International Atomic Energy
Agency, and others variously concluded that Iran might make some form of nuclear
progress within a few months or years. For their part, some Iranian officials
suggested the program was severely damaged enough to make further access by IAEA
inspectors impossible, while others (including Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei)
described the damage as modest or even insignificant. These differing claims and
conclusions may stem from a variety of factors, including the difficulty of
conducting battle damage assessments for air campaigns against deeply buried
sites. Yet the biggest differentiator could be that each of these assessments
appears to use different benchmarks for what “reconstitution” might mean.
Currently, Iran appears to have four primary options that could credibly be
defined as a reconstituted nuclear program: (1) refocusing on foreign civil
nuclear cooperation, (2) pursuing a full, declared rebuild, (3) pursuing a full,
undeclared rebuild, or (4) revamping the program altogether. These scenarios are
discussed separately below, though some elements could be combined to create
alternative “in-between” approaches.
Foreign Civil Nuclear Cooperation
Iran confines the program to foreign-supplied reactors and fuel, with limited
scientific and research/development activities of its own. Although much smaller
in scope than the other options presented below, this form of reconstitution
would still leave Iran with a nuclear program. Namely, Tehran could contract
foreign vendors to build additional reactors (supplementing the second reactor
that Russia is building at Bushehr) and supply fuel for these facilities. It
could also continue with some small-scale research activities, including at its
research reactors. Paying for foreign reactors would be financially costly, but
this approach would decrease the risk of losing those assets to war. Notably,
the Bushehr power plant was not targeted in June’s hostilities, presumably
because (1) it is an operating nuclear reactor that could release radioactive
materials if attacked, and (2) it was deemed less likely to contribute to
potential nuclear weapons proliferation, since Iran does not possess the
technology to extract plutonium from Bushehr’s spent reactor fuel, and any such
attempted misuse would be quickly detected. Although this option could help
relieve Iran’s deep concerns about long-term energy needs and reduce the risk of
future war, it is probably the regime’s least likely choice. For one thing, it
would mark a significant walk-back of Tehran’s previous rhetoric and posture.
Iranian leaders repeatedly argued in the past that they could not abandon
uranium enrichment because of the blood and treasure the nation had already paid
for it, so they are unlikely to make this concession now after a foreign
military attack. This option would also enshrine Iranian dependency on foreign
nuclear supply—an arrangement that Tehran has come to view as unreliable. Hence,
if the regime chooses this route, it would almost certainly be an unstated
decision demonstrated by the absence of overt rebuilding work, which would be
difficult for the United States and Israel to trust.
Full, Declared Rebuild
Iran restores the program to its pre-June level, with substantial declared
facilities for uranium conversion and enrichment as well as expanded plans for
domestic reactor construction. This option would essentially entail relaunching
the pre-June program, rebuilding its various components (likely in different,
harder-to-attack locations), and opening them to IAEA inspections. Such a
program would be time-consuming and expensive, though the idea carries certain
political and technological advantages. First and foremost, a program of this
scale would enable Iran to continue arguing that its nuclear ambitions are
peaceful and fully consistent with its obligations under the Nuclear
Nonproliferation Treaty (NPT). Civil nuclear facilities often require more
material and equipment than nuclear weapons do, so Iran could aim to construct
facilities of a size and scale that would give it a considerable weaponization
option while purporting to stay within the space allotted to civil pursuits. Of
course, Tehran realizes by now that even IAEA-inspected facilities could readily
be attacked again by Israel and/or the United States if they suspect a
proliferation risk. As such, it is unlikely to pursue this type of rebuild
absent a longer-term political deal with associated security guarantees—an
arrangement that does not appear forthcoming.
Full, Undeclared Rebuild
Iran attempts to restore its uranium conversion facilities, tens of thousands of
centrifuges, and other prewar program elements, but without declared facilities
open to IAEA inspections. This option is effectively the same as a declared
rebuild, except in this instance Iran would bar IAEA access to its sites in
perpetuity or for as long as possible. In doing so, the regime would create
ambiguity about its intentions and legal obligations while reaping the benefits
of a full, declared rebuild. Yet this scenario would carry the same high costs
as the previous option, as well as a higher risk of war given the added
justification of flagrant nuclear noncompliance.
Revamp
Iran changes the program’s nature, abandoning “reconstitution” of destroyed
capabilities in order to focus on maintaining weaponization options, with
smaller facilities and no IAEA declarations. If Iran intends to pursue
undeclared nuclear activities, it is far more likely to redefine the program
than repeat its past approach. As noted above, a weapons program can be smaller
than a civil energy program. If Tehran wants nuclear weapons but concludes that
it will never be permitted to build the large sites necessary for a realistic
civil energy program, it may pursue the far cheaper and more secure option of
paring its activities down to a smaller, weapons-dedicated enterprise. The
facilities needed for such a program could be much smaller, require less nuclear
material, and be much more deeply buried and secure because the costs and
complications of doing so would decrease. Consequently, this sort of program
could be much easier to hide from international observation even if U.S. and
Israeli intelligence penetration persists, with the net effect of lessening the
risk of future attacks. Such a revamped program would abandon the pretense of
civil nuclear energy, thereby limiting Iran’s ability to persuade the
international community that its activities are legitimate. Yet it is unclear
whether this factor will matter given the possibility that broad foreign
criticism of the United States and Israel may obscure their claims about Iran’s
nuclear noncompliance in the long term, even when said claims are accurate.
Tehran has also used civil nuclear energy to secure domestic legitimacy for the
program in the past, pointing to it as proof that the Islamic Republic is
exercising its rights abroad and working to develop economically at home. It is
unclear whether the war has reduced the value of this concept to Iran’s leaders.
Policy Recommendations
Iran has many options for reconstitution and probably has not decided which to
pursue. At this point, the most important realization is that it could probably
develop crude nuclear weapons without rebuilding its program to any significant
degree. Iran likely retains enough high-enriched uranium and the chemical
processing equipment required to fashion this material into several crude bombs,
even if they are not missile-deliverable. Moreover, given Tehran’s frequent
emphasis on unconventional defense and force projection via proxies, missiles,
and drones, it could make similar unconventional choices about its nuclear
armament, particularly in the near term. These possibilities have multiple
implications for policymakers in Washington and abroad. First and foremost, U.S.
officials should avoid any further statements calling into question whether Iran
could reconstitute its nuclear program. Unless conclusively proven otherwise,
the Trump administration should operate on the assumption that Iran has the
capability to rebuild the program in some form and may choose to do so.
Washington and its partners could then focus on trying to shape Tehran’s choice,
guided by four essential priorities: Detection: Identifying where and how Iran
is working to recreate elements of the program. Prevention: Enforcing current
export controls and technology transfer prohibitions, which can help reduce
Iran’s ability to execute any of these options. The pending “snapback” of UN
sanctions will help in this regard, as Iran will remain under nuclear-related
sanctions in perpetuity if this measure takes effect as planned next month.
Education: Ensuring that industry and government figures understand the nature
of Iran’s nuclear program, what it is trying to do, and what legal obligations
Tehran is still under in terms of avoiding nuclear weapons proliferation.
Diplomacy: Convincing foreign governments not to contribute to any
reconstitution effort that would be inconsistent with Iran’s IAEA and NPT
obligations, while simultaneously pressing Tehran to adopt an approach that
permits broader use of nuclear energy for civil purposes without the risk of
weaponization. A new nuclear deal with intrusive inspector provisions remains
the most efficacious way to achieve both of these goals and prevent Iran from
acquiring nuclear weapons in the future.
*Richard Nephew is the Bernstein Adjunct Fellow at The Washington Institute and
former U.S. deputy special envoy for Iran.
Algeria has become the primary enforcer of Europe’s southern
frontier
Hafed Al-Ghwell/Arab News/September 06, 2025 22:35
The migration dynamics between Algeria and Spain are a brutal convergence of
geopolitical bargaining, externalized border controls, and human desperation.
Once a champion of pan-African solidarity, Algeria has undergone a radical
transformation into a primary enforcer of Europe’s southern frontier, detaining
and expelling over 31,000 people to Niger in 2024 alone through a network of
formal and informal sites before abandoning them at the border without
sustenance. This is no mere change in policy but a calculated strategic
alignment, driven by European pressure and domestic political expediency,
evidenced by its new cooperation with the European Border and Coast Guard Agency
Frontex, the International Organization for Migration, and Italy on police
training and border management. The consequences are a humanitarian catastrophe
characterized by lethal maritime routes — a record 11,455 Algerians risked the
journey by sea to Spain in a single year, a number that has since drastically
increased — and abandonment in the desert, with children, women, and men forced
to march kilometers to the nearest village. This manufactured crisis, fueled by
Algeria’s use of migration as a “bargaining chip” with the global north, creates
a cycle of exploitation and instability for migrants who survive the journey,
reducing human beings to mere instruments in a transaction of power between
continents. The human cost of this manufactured corridor is both staggering and
deliberately obscured. The 225 documented deaths on the central Mediterranean
route and 123 on the western Mediterranean route in just the first few months of
2025 are a direct outcome of deliberate policy choices. At present, the rate at
which fatalities are climbing is set to pass the previous year’s grim record of
more than 500. It is pure carnage funded by and funding a sophisticated and
mercenary economy where desperation is the sole commodity. Migrants are often
coerced into mortgaging their futures for up to €10,000 ($11,721) — a sum more
than 32 times the average Algerian monthly wage — for a one-way passage on an
overcrowded death trap, financing criminal networks that invest millions in
logistics and high-speed boats. Meanwhile, the Algerian state’s contribution to
this economy of cruelty is not intervention but predation, criminalizing the
very act of flight with prison sentences of two to six months, and fines under a
penal code that perversely equates seeking a future with a criminal act. The
entire architecture — from the smuggler’s fee to the state’s fine — is built on
the systematic monetization of despair, a closed loop where every actor profits
from the cycle of movement and repression except the human being at its center.
On interception or arrival, the migrant’s ordeal is transformed rather than
ended.
Spain’s reception system operates in a state of deliberate abdication or
dysfunction, chronically underfunded and outsourced to NGOs that scramble to
meet the needs of thousands with minimal state support. For the 4,119 Algerians
who arrived in the first half of 2025, a temporary reprieve exists not by design
but by diplomatic rupture; the 2022 suspension of the Spain-Algeria friendship
treaty effectively neutered a functional readmission protocol, leaving Madrid
able to issue 9,995 orders for Algerians to leave the country, but politically
incapable of executing them.
This is no mere change in policy but a calculated strategic alignment, driven by
European pressure. However, forced liminality is not protection but
state-sanctioned misery, channeling individuals into an economy of exploitation
where contracts promise €1,300, but deliver €800, with employers extorting
additional daily fees simply for transportation to where their labor is needed.
This state-sponsored system is further enforced by constant police harassment
and the rising specter of far-right vigilantism, where groups linked to
political parties such as Vox organize patrols targeting North Africans,
transforming cities like Murcia into theaters of social tension where young
Algerians can be assaulted with impunity and told, even by a homeless Spanish
national, to understand their place.
The Algerian state’s role is particularly worrisome. Domestically, it performs a
pantomime of control for European audiences, wielding Law 09-01 to imprison its
own citizens for the “crime” of seeking a future, sentencing them to months of
detention and fines of up to €430 for the act of departure — a legislative
framework enacted in 2009 under direct EU pressure. Such internal repression is
merely the prelude to its externalized brutality. Beyond its borders, Algeria
has industrialized human disposal, perfecting the practice of “desert dumps,”
where over 31,400 people in 2024, and a further 2,222 in just 21 days during
April this year, were transported in unofficial convoys to the Nigerian border
and abandoned at the “zero point” without food, water, or shelter, forcing a 15
km march through the desert to Assamaka. It is far from effective border
management, but a deliberate policy of dehydration and exposure, a fact so
systematized that the International Organization for Migration and Nigerian
authorities have been compelled to erect signposts along the route. This forms
one link in a “chain deportation” corridor, a regionally integrated machinery of
repression where migrants are first apprehended in Tunisia, violently pushed
into Algeria, detained again, and then transported south for expulsion — all
coordinated through high-level summits and interior minister meetings with
Italy. Algeria has thus commodified its sovereignty, transforming its territory
into a transit zone for state-sanctioned suffering and using the very bodies of
the dispossessed as its primary bargaining chip in relations with the global
north. A fundamental contradiction lies in the absolute closure of legal
pathways. Algerian citizens face the highest visa refusal rates in the Schengen
area, with 34 percent of applications rejected in 2024. This policy, engineered
by Europe, deliberately funnels migration into irregular channels, ensuring a
constant supply of people to be intercepted, criminalized, and used as
bargaining chips. The EU avoids direct funding to Algiers, instead channeling
resources through international agencies for training and “capacity building,”
thus maintaining a veneer of deniability while financing the architecture of
repression. The outcome is a perfectly engineered crisis. Europe achieves its
political objective of reduced arrivals by outsourcing violence. Algeria
leverages its border enforcement for diplomatic capital and police cooperation
agreements. Meanwhile, the migrant is caught in a loop: fleeing unemployment
that officially affects 29.3 percent of Algerian youth, risking death at sea,
surviving exploitation in Spain, and facing the constant threat of a violent
expulsion back to the very deserts he or she crossed.This system is not a
failure of policy, but a success of design — a design where human life is the
cheapest variable in the cold calculus of money, power, and borders.
**Hafed Al-Ghwell is senior fellow and program director at the Stimson Center in
Washington DC and senior fellow at the Center for Conflict and Humanitarian
Studies. X: @HafedAlGhwell
Blackmailing Egypt and Jordan
Mamdouh AlMuhaini/Alarabiya English/September 06/2025
In previous articles, I pointed to the organized campaigns targeting Gulf
states, despite their continuous efforts to address regional crises, their
humanitarian and charitable contributions, and their consistent positions in
defending Palestinian rights and supporting the Palestinian Authority and
people. Yet these campaigns have not stopped – and, tellingly, they will not
stop – because the issue runs deeper than a fleeting dispute. They are tied to a
long-term project by political Islamist groups and their supporters. The goals
of these groups are exposed and clear, and they are not fundamentally connected
to the Palestinian cause. Instead, they use it as a pretext and a tool to
achieve broader objectives. The first goal is to undermine the legitimacy of
Gulf states by exploiting humanitarian tragedies and directing accusations
against them. The second goal is to stir up Gulf societies from within and push
them toward explosion by portraying their governments as partners or complicit
in the Palestinian tragedy. The third goal is to strike at the idea of the
nation-state embodied by these countries, while glorifying the cross-border
militia model – elevating its leaders while delegitimizing the leaders of
national states. The fourth goal is to spread inciting, mobilizing rhetoric,
which thrives in these emotional atmospheres and provides fertile ground for
recruitment and agitation. The fifth goal is to drive a new wave of the “Arab
Winter” through chaos and direct incitement. We have seen examples of this in
calls to storm borders and attack embassies, or in organizing convoys aimed at
embarrassing these states and portraying them as complicit in tragedy. The core
idea behind all this is not to defend Palestine or expose Israel’s horrific
crimes in Gaza, but rather to exploit these issues to destabilize and dismantle
Gulf states from within.
What Jordan and Egypt face is not far from this context. They too are subjected
to organized and systematic attacks despite their historic and central roles in
serving the Palestinian cause. Both countries face the same campaigns that
attempt to portray them as complicit or partners, even though the reality is
that their conflict with political Islamist groups is fundamental and deep. They
have taken clear positions by criminalizing and banning these groups. The reason
is simple: practical experience has proven that when such groups – whether Sunni
or Shia – reach power or control, the outcome is catastrophic. It is enough to
look at what happened in Iran, Sudan, Yemen, and Lebanon with Hezbollah to
understand the danger of these models. It is the right of national states such
as Egypt, Jordan, and the Gulf countries to protect their stability and citizens
from repeating this fate, and to focus instead on economic development and
integration into the modern world. For this reason, they face organized attacks
and relentless campaigns of political and media blackmail.
One of the starkest ironies is that the states allied with these groups, or
those providing them with political and financial support, are spared any attack
or criticism – even though some of them maintain official and public relations
with Israel. This fact alone reveals that the Palestinian cause is nothing more
than a pretext within these groups’ project. Another dangerous objective is the
attempt to undermine alliances among national states. This is done by spreading
rumors and false news to sow discord and weaken trust among them. Any crack in
the wall of national alliances means a victory for the cross-border militia
model, which is built on chaos and destruction. It is a recipe for total
devastation from which no state can escape. What makes matters worse is that
some populist voices contribute to these campaigns, unaware of the danger of
their actions or their destructive consequences.
What is reassuring, however, is that the alliances of national states remain
strong and solid. Time and again, they have proven their ability to withstand
pressure and attacks. More importantly, the continuity of these strong alliances
is the real guarantee not only for defending the Palestinian cause and other
Arab issues but also for preserving the region from total collapse and from
sliding into unending chaos.
Slected X
tweets
For September 06/2025
EXCLUSIVE Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin
Netanyahu on Iran, Defeating Hamas & Operation Rising Lion
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lydSKSCCr68
Erick Stakelbeck on TBN
Sep 4, 2025 Israel / Gaza Border News | The Watchman with Erick Stakelbeck
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu joins Erick Stakelbeck for an
exclusive interview on crushing Iran's terror axis, Operation Rising Lion, his
historic partnership with President Trump, Western appeasement, and the future
of Judeo-Christian civilization. A raw, historic conversation on civilization,
war, and truth in the Middle East. Watch now.
Hanin Ghaddar
The #LAF disarmament plan and the
government’s reaction was confusing on purpose. Let’s walk through it:
- the LAF submitted a plan with phases. Phase 1 - south of Litani - will take 3
months! The rest have no timeline.
- the cabinet statement read by the info minister did not mention a timeline.
- then the PM posted on X that the deadline would be under the cabinet’s August
5 decision. Everyone thinks we now do have a deadline. But not really.
- the main official statement that is binding is the cabinet’s readout - not a
post on X!
And when asked about the timeline during the press conference, the info minister
refused to answer.
- Therefore, no, we do not have a clear timeline!
Hussain Abdul-Hussain
In case I'm not saying this enough, I cannot even begin to describe the amount
of damage that @USAMBTurkiye
Tom Barrack has done to America's diplomacy in #Lebanon and how much he's
derailed it from its original course.
I say this with utmost respect to Mr. Barrack, but a blunder is a blunder.
He should have stuck to reviving the Ottoman Empire of his grandfather.
Hussain Abdul-Hussain
To appreciate how many losses the State of #Lebanon has inflicted on #Hezbollah
(at least constitutionally and politically) over past 31 days, check out how
cabinet today said that even the “national security strategy,” which Hezbollah
uses as code word for maintaining its militia, will see arms monopolized by the
state. This is the cabinet’s statement:
The Lebanese Government commits, pursuant to the inaugural address and the
ministerial statement, to set a national security strategy -- in line with
applying the authority of the Lebanese State over all its territory and
monopolizing arms in the hands of the State, and confirms Lebanon's right to
self-defense pursuant to the UN Charter.
איוב קרא ايوب قرا ayoob kara
@ayoobkara
https://x.com/i/status/1963951343455912377
لازم نعلن خلال اسبوعين على اقامة فدراليه في السويداء ونفس الشي العلويه الكرد
المسيحيه وباقي المكونات السوريه
Elie Abouaoun
1- Particularity of Lebanon: you can be against "political communitarianism" but
fully into sectarian politics.
2- Every spineless minister comes with flashy eyeglasses !!!
That’s all for today
EXCLUSIVE Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Iran, Defeating Hamas &
Operation Rising Lion
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lydSKSCCr68
Erick Stakelbeck on TBN
Sep 4, 2025 Israel / Gaza Border News | The Watchman with Erick Stakelbeck
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu joins Erick Stakelbeck for an
exclusive interview on crushing Iran's terror axis, Operation Rising Lion,
his historic partnership with President Trump, Western appeasement, and the
future of Judeo-Christian civilization. A raw, historic conversation on
civilization, war, and truth in the Middle East. Watch now.