English LCCC Newsbulletin For
Lebanese, Lebanese Related, Global News & Editorials
For September 09/2025
Compiled & Prepared by: Elias Bejjani
#elias_bejjani_news
The Bulletin's Link on the
lccc Site
https://eliasbejjaninews.com/aaaanewsfor2025/english.September09.25.htm
News Bulletin Achieves
Since 2006
Click Here to enter the LCCC Arabic/English news bulletins Achieves since 2006
Click On
The Below Link To Join Elias Bejjaninews whatsapp group
https://chat.whatsapp.com/FPF0N7lE5S484LNaSm0MjW
اضغط
على الرابط في
أعلى للإنضمام
لكروب
Eliasbejjaninews whatsapp group
Elias Bejjani/Click
on the below link to subscribe to my youtube channel
الياس
بجاني/اضغط
على الرابط في
أسفل للإشتراك في
موقعي ع اليوتيوب
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCAOOSioLh1GE3C1hp63Camw
Bible Quotations For today
The man will leave his father and mother and be
joined to his wife, and the two will become one flesh
Letter to the Ephesians 05/22-32/:"Wives, be subject to your
husbands as you are to the Lord.For the husband is the head of the wife just as
Christ is the head of the church, the body of which he is the Saviour. Just as
the church is subject to Christ, so also wives ought to be, in everything, to
their husbands. Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and
gave himself up for her, in order to make her holy by cleansing her with the
washing of water by the word, so as to present the church to himself in
splendour, without a spot or wrinkle or anything of the kind yes, so that she
may be holy and without blemish. In the same way, husbands should love their
wives as they do their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself. For no
one ever hates his own body, but he nourishes and tenderly cares for it, just as
Christ does for the church, because we are members of his body. ‘For this reason
a man will leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and the two
will become one flesh.’This is a great mystery, and I am applying it to Christ
and the church."
Titles For The
Latest English LCCC Lebanese & Lebanese Related News & Editorials published
on September 08-09/2025
Get it through your heads: Hezbollah is an Iranian, jihadi, terrorist
organization./Elias Bejjani/September 08/2025
The Cabinet’s Failure to Adopt a Timeline for Disarming Hezbollah…A Big
Difference Between “Welcomed” and “Approved”/Elias Bejjani/September 05/2025
5 Hezbollah members killed in Israeli raids on Hermel outskirts (Video)
5 killed as Israel says bombed Hezbollah 'training camps' and arms in Bekaa
UNIFIL: Lebanese Army Deployed to More Than 120 Positions in the South
Syrian-Lebanese Talks... Detainee Status and Bilateral Agreements on the Table
'We'll respond to that later', says Trump on Hezbollah's arms
Berri meets Aoun, says 'everything is good'
Report: Israel asks that Lebanon begin disarmament plan from Baalbek-Hermel
Report: US views army plan positively, wants implementation
Lebanon 's priorities: Israel's withdrawal or Hezbollah's disarmament?
Geagea calls on Shiites to 'free themselves', tells Hezbollah to 'wake up'
Israel Tells Lebanon It Will Pursue Military Pressures
Ceasefire Committee Resumes Meetings in Lebanon
Flyers threaten Walid Abboud with kidnap, torture and murder
Salam stresses govt. to press on with arms monopolization
Washington is leveraging its influence to facilitate the army's mission: Aid and
pressure on Israel
The lawsuit against Naim Qassem is political, awaiting the audacity of the
Public Prosecution Office...practically, no legal result!/Joanna Farhat/Al-Markazia/September
8, 2025 (translated from Arabic)
Gebran and the Barbara Checkpoint/Imad Moussa/Nidaa Al Watan/September 9, 2025
(translated from Arabic)
Shia, Shia, Shia/Saleh Al-Mashnouk/Nidaa Al-Watan/September 9, 2025 (translated
from Arabic)
Fears of the failure of the state process... Berri does not want "Shiite
suicide"/Youssef Fares/Al-Markazia/September 8, 2025 (translated from Arabic)
Will Washington's mediation save Netanyahu from the Gaza quagmire?/Laura Yamin/Al-Markazia/September
8, 2025 (translated from Arabic)
Hamas equates its weapons with those of Hezbollah...and Fatah fears the
occupation of the camps for Iran's benefit/Najwa Abi Haidar/Al-Markazia/September
08, 2025 (translated from Arabic)
Titles For The Latest English LCCC
Miscellaneous Reports And News published on
September 08-09/2025
Israel Bombs Areas Around Three Syrian Cities
Palestinian gunmen kill 6 people in attack on Jerusalem bus stop
Trump issues 'last warning' to Hamas over hostages
Israel warns Hamas to surrender or face 'annihilation'
Israel bombs another Gaza City high-rise as US advances new ceasefire proposal
Israeli Military Says Sirens Activated Near Eilat Due to a 'Hostile Aircraft'
Houthi drone strikes Israeli airport in rare hit as Israel steps up Gaza City
attacks
Israel destroys another high-rise in Gaza City
Spain intensifies criticism of Israel, Israel responds with travel bans
Iranian lawmaker reveals imminent agreement between Araghchi and IAEA in Egypt
IAEA's Grossi to Iran: Not Much Time Left in Talks on Inspections
Egypt-Iran Contacts... Attempts to Contain the "Nuclear Clash"
Abdel-Ati Discussed "De-Escalation" with Araghchi and Grossi
French Parliament Votes to Oust Prime Minister, Deepening Political Crisis
Titles For
The Latest English LCCC analysis &
editorials from miscellaneous sources
on September 08-09/2025
Norway extends its Israel divestment
campaign to the United States/Ben Cohen/Jewish News Syndicate/September 08/2025
Profiles of militias in newly formed Druze national guard in Suwayda,
Syria/Ahmad Sharawi/FDD's Long War Journal/September 08/2025
The UN Is Leaving Its People Vulnerable To Kidnapping in Yemen/Bridget Toomey/FDD/September
08/2025
The Decision, the Risks and the Advisor/Ghassan Charbel/Asharq Al Awsat/September
08/025
Slected X tweets For September 07/2025
The Latest English LCCC
Lebanese & Lebanese Related News & Editorials published on
September 08-09/2025
Get it through your heads: Hezbollah
is an Iranian, jihadi, terrorist organization.
Elias Bejjani/September 08/2025
https://eliasbejjaninews.com/2025/09/147090/
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=725r-EUa6Gg
The majority of the Lebanese
politicians and officials are like whitewashed tombs: outwardly they appear
splendid, but within they are filled with dead men’s bones and every impurity.
The only difference among the owners of our local and proxy political parties,
without a single exception, is in their outward appearance. Yet inwardly they
are all the same: stench, hypocrisy, treachery, deceit, corruption, and crime.
Any politician, media figure, activist, citizen, or cleric who dares to claim
that Hezbollah is Lebanese, that it represents the Shiites in parliament, that
it liberated the South, that it won the 2006 war against Israel, that its
fighters killed in military or terrorist operations—whether in Lebanon or
abroad—are martyrs, that it protects Lebanon alongside a segment of Lebanese
society, or that it is a resistance or defiance movement, is nothing but a
hypocrite, a Judas, a traitor, an agent, a lackey, and a Trojan horse. Such
people are useless, must be exposed, and should be cast out.
No one should forget that Hezbollah’s Persian war in support of Hamas in 2023
was waged solely by the will and decision of Iran. It was a war Hezbollah lost
and was defeated in, exposing all its lies. Therefore, its leaders must be
arrested and prosecuted, its assets confiscated, and it must be officially
declared and treated as a terrorist organization.
All these claims—this deceit, hypocrisy, and bootlicking—are illusions,
hallucinations, and self-deception.
On the operating table of truth, the reality of this gang is clear:
Hezbollah is an Iranian jihadi party, an enemy of Lebanon and the Lebanese
people. There is nothing Lebanese about it. These are not allegations but
confirmed facts, proudly declared by the party’s leaders, intellectuals, and
media outlets.
Hezbollah does not represent Lebanon’s Shiite community—neither closely nor
remotely. Rather, it holds the Shiites hostage, subjugates them by force and
terror, and sends their youth to die in the futile wars of the Persian
mullahs—in Lebanon, Syria, Iraq, Yemen, Gaza, and elsewhere around the world. It
forcibly imposed its 27 representatives on the Shiite community through
intimidation, violence, and assassinations, preventing any Shiite from running
against its terrorist and puppet candidates.
Hezbollah’s dead, whether in the South or in the battlefields of the mullahs’
foreign wars, are victims. Legally, the party’s leaders who recruited and
dispatched them—without any Lebanese or international legal legitimacy—must be
prosecuted.
Hezbollah did not liberate the South in 2000. It did not win the 2006 war. Its
2023 war was not a Lebanese war. Instead, Hezbollah occupies the South and,
since the withdrawal of Israeli and Syrian forces, it occupies all of Lebanon.
The 2006 and 2023 wars were both catastrophes for Lebanon and its people.
Israel did not attack Lebanon; Hezbollah dragged Lebanon into those wars.
Therefore, anyone who markets—directly or indirectly—the heresy of “paying a
price” to Hezbollah by altering Lebanon’s political system, legalizing its
Iranian weapons, integrating its militias into the Lebanese Army, or speaking of
a so-called defensive or national strategy, must be arrested and prosecuted.
What is required—according to every standard of sovereignty and independence—is
to arrest and prosecute Hezbollah’s leaders, and to implement all international
resolutions and the Taif Agreement, which demand the disarmament of all Lebanese
and non-Lebanese militias, and the imposition of state authority across all
Lebanese territory through legitimate state institutions.
Lebanon’s problem is not with its system, but with a Persian occupation and a
corrupt crew of politicians, clerics, party owners, and treacherous rulers.
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.
5 Hezbollah
members killed in Israeli raids on Hermel outskirts (Video)
Al Markazia/September 8, 2025
Central News - Seven Israeli raids targeted the outskirts of the western
mountain range of Lebanon in Hermel this afternoon. One raid also targeted the
outskirts of Labweh. The Ministry of Public Health's Health Emergency Operations
Center issued a statement announcing that the Israeli enemy raids on the Bekaa
Valley and Hermel outskirts resulted, according to a preliminary toll, in the
deaths of five people and the wounding of five others. Meanwhile, a security
source told Al-Hadath that five Hezbollah members were killed in the Hermel
raids.
Who are the victims? According to statements published on pro-Hezbollah pages,
the following were mourned under the name "Hezbollah - Bekaa Region":
Ayham Tariq Zaiter from the town of Sahl al-Maa, Hermel District
Ali Khader Hamadeh "Abu al-Fadl" from the town of Sahl al-Maa, Hermel District
Sheikh Haidar Mustafa Assaf "Abu Ali" from the city of Hermel
Samir Ahmad Madlaj "Abu Hassan" from the town of al-Qasr, Hermel District
These pages revealed that the fifth martyr was named Sajid, a Syrian national.
They also stated that a memorial ceremony will be held at the Solidarity Stadium
tomorrow, Tuesday, at 4:00 PM.
Adraee: Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) spokesman Avichay Adraee announced on the
"X" platform:
The IDF recently raided several Hezbollah targets in the Bekaa region of
Lebanon, including camps of the Radwan Force, where Hezbollah members were
spotted and used to store weapons.
Hezbollah has used the camps to conduct training and prepare terrorists for the
purpose of planning and executing plots against IDF forces and the State of
Israel. During the training at the camps, they conducted live-fire exercises and
training in the use of various types of combat equipment. The storage of combat
equipment and the conduct of military training against the State of Israel
constitute a flagrant violation of the understandings between Israel and Lebanon
and constitute a threat to the State of Israel. The IDF will continue to work to
eliminate any threat to the State of Israel. In the south, a civilian was
injured when he was targeted by an Israeli helicopter while grazing his
livestock on the western outskirts of Mays al-Jabal. An Israeli helicopter also
dropped a sound bomb toward the town of Aita al-Shaab.
Video of the Bekaa raids:
https://x.com/i/status/1964991947648704791
https://x.com/i/status/1964991947648704791
5 killed as
Israel says bombed Hezbollah 'training camps' and arms in Bekaa
Associated Press/September 8, 2025
A wave of Israeli airstrikes on Monday targeted several mountainous areas in the
Baalbek-Hermel region, killing five people and wounding five others, the Health
Ministry said. A Hezbollah official, speaking on
condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak to the press,
confirmed four of the five killed were group members.
The Israeli army claimed the strikes hit “several Hezbollah targets” including
“Radwan Force camps in which Hezbollah members and weapons were
identified.”“Hezbollah used the camps to train and rehabilitate (fighters) with
the aim of plotting and staging terrorist plots against the IDF (Israeli army)
forces and the State of Israel,” the Israeli army added.Hezbollah militants
“conducted shooting exercises and were trained on using various types of weapons
during training at those bases,” the Israeli army alleged. It added that “the
storing of weapons and staging of military exercises against the State of Israel
is considered a blatant violation of the agreements between Israel and Lebanon
and represents a threat to the State of Israel,” vowing to continue to operate
to “eliminate any threat to the State of Israel.”The strikes come after several
days of relative calm that followed the Lebanese government’s approval of a
Lebanese Army plan for disarming Hezbollah and all armed groups and that
witnessed a visit by U.S. envoy Morgan Ortagus and U.S. Central Command chief
Admiral Brad Cooper. After a long period of inactivity, the U.S.-led ceasefire
committee convened on Sunday in the presence of Ortagus and Cooper and its
meeting was described as positive. The Lebanese government’s statement was met
with conflicting interpretations in the country, while France welcomed the move
and called it a “new positive step.”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. Information Minister Paul Morcos has 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".The government says
Hezbollah's disarmament is part of the implementation of a U.S.-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.
UNIFIL: Lebanese
Army Deployed to More Than 120 Positions in the South
Al Markazia/September 8, 2025
UNIFIL announced that it is "working closely with the Lebanese Army to restore
stability in the region." It added, "We are helping it strengthen its presence
through patrols, training, and daily coordination." It stated that "thanks to
UNIFIL's support, the army has redeployed to more than 120 positions in southern
Lebanon, strengthening the authority of the state in accordance with Resolution
1701."
Syrian-Lebanese Talks... Detainee Status and Bilateral Agreements on the Table
Al Markazia/September 8, 2025
A preliminary meeting was held today between the committees of the Ministry of
Justice and the Syrian and Lebanese security committees, building on the
outcomes of the previous meeting between a delegation from the Syrian Ministry
of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates and the Lebanese government. The meeting
discussed the situation of detainees held by both sides, in addition to
discussing relevant bilateral agreements.
'We'll respond to that later', says Trump on Hezbollah's
arms
Naharnet/September 8, 2025
U.S. President Donald Trump has responded to a Lebanese reporter’s question
about Hezbollah’s perceived refusal to turn in its weapons to the Lebanese
state.
“We’ll respond to that later,” Trump told MTV reporter Anthony Merchak before
walking away. Trump had in June reiterated his support for Lebanon. “Lebanon is
a great place with brilliant people and hopefully we can bring it back again,”
Trump said in response to a question from the same reporter during a press
conference. “We're with Lebanon all the way … We'll try and straighten it out,”
he added. Visiting U.S. envoy Tom Barrack later said in July that he returned to
Lebanon because Trump is interested in reaching “regional stability” and because
Lebanon is the “center of that process.”Noting that the U.S. wants “security”
and “economic prosperity” in Lebanon, Barrack pointed out that the U.S. cannot
“compel” Israel to do or not do “anything.”
Berri meets Aoun, says 'everything is good'
Naharnet/September 8, 2025
“With the blessings of the Virgin Mary, everything is good,” Berri told
reporters as he left the palace. Berri later met in Ain el-Tineh with Army
Commander General Rodolphe Haykal and, according to Al-Jadeed TV, is scheduled
to meet Tuesday with Prime Minister Nawaf Salam. The TV network said the
Speaker’s meetings are aimed at “reopening the channels of communication with
the president and the premier, especially that Berri is very relieved by the
decisions of Friday’s session.” In remarks to An-Nahar newspaper, Berri had said
that he was “relieved by the outcome of the government’s statement” on the
army’s plan for weapons monopolization, noting that “the country was spared a
major sedition.”“Our domestic unity remains the basis,” Berri added.
“Israel is still at war, it has not stopped its aggression and it has not
committed to the ceasefire agreements, and this is what we said and explained to
U.S. envoy Tom Barrack,” the Speaker added. 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, 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 Aoun. Information Minister Paul
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.
Report: Israel asks that Lebanon begin disarmament plan from Baalbek-Hermel
Naharnet/September 8, 2025
Israel has asked through the U.S. that the Lebanese Army begins its disarmament
plan from the Baalbek and Hermel regions, claiming that they are “a hub for
advanced missiles and drones,” an informed source said. Israel submitted to the
U.S.-led ceasefire committee “dozens of coordinates to be submitted to the army
for inspection,” the source told the pro-Hezbollah al-Akhbar newspaper in
remarks published Monday. “Army officers voiced reservations over this measure,
stressing that Israel cannot be trusted and that there can be no show of force
or a provocation to local residents,” the source added. Israeli airstrikes
targeted the outskirts of Hermel later on Monday, with the Israeli army claiming
the strikes hit Hezbollah training camps and weapons. The strikes came a day
after a meeting for the ceasefire committee in Ras al-Naqoura.
Report: US views army plan positively, wants implementation
Naharnet/September 8, 2025
U.S. envoy Morgan Ortagus and U.S. Central Command chief Admiral Brad Cooper
heard Sunday from Lebanon’s representative in the ceasefire committee a detailed
briefing about the Lebanese Army’s plan for arms monopolization and what has
been achieved until the moment, informed sources said. “The Americans dealt with
the plan positively but said that implementation is what matters. The U.S.
delegation also showed leniency in listening to the reasons that obstruct the
army’s deployment in the South due to Israel’s occupation of the five hills,”
the sources told the PSP’s al-Anbaa news portal. “The U.S. stance was supportive
of the army’s position, welcoming of its plan and understanding of the need for
Israel to carry out positive steps in return for the Lebanese steps,” the
sources added.
Lebanon 's priorities: Israel's withdrawal or Hezbollah's
disarmament?
Naharnet/September 8, 2025
Hezbollah MP Ali Fayyad said Monday that the Israeli withdrawal should be the
priority and not Hezbollah's disarmament, adding that "unbiased polls have
showed that the majority of the Lebanese people reject the government's decision
(to disarm Hezbollah)."
Fayyad assured that the army, which was tasked with the disarmament plan, won't
be dragged into a conflict with Hezbollah. "The Lebanese army is keen on
maintaining unity and peace," he said. In August, under heavy U.S. pressure and
fearing Israel would intensify its strikes, Lebanon's government ordered the
army to draw up a plan for disarming Hezbollah by the end of the year. Last
week, the government approved the army's plan but decided to keep its details
confidential. The five Shiite ministers had walked out of the session as Army
Commander General Joseph Haykal joined it to present the army’s plan. They were
followed by independent Shiite minister Fadi Makki.
Geagea calls on Shiites to 'free themselves', tells Hezbollah to 'wake up'
Naharnet/September 8, 2025
Lebanese Forces leader Samir Geagea has told Hezbollah that its problem will not
be with a party but rather with the state and the army, if it insists on keeping
its arms. "We will no longer accept non-Lebanese
decisions or allow one group to control the fate of the Lebanese people. Lebanon
comes first, above all else," the christian leader said, days after Cabinet
approved a plan prepared by the army to monopolize weapons in the war-hit
country. Geagea told Hezbollah that they have lost their war with Israel and
that there can be no new "May 7" nor a siege of the Serail nor a civil war. "For
years, you have destroyed the Lebanese people's dreams and institutions with
weapons and terrorism, and tried to impose your project at the expense of the
state's project. You have monopolized the decision of war and peace, and severed
Lebanon's relations with the Arab world and the international community. "You
defended a criminal regime in Syria and got involved in a support war that you
miscalculated... And now you threaten with civil war," Geagea said.
Geagea urged Hezbollah to "wake up" and "come back to reason". "If you
think and imagine that you can threaten, intimidate, and frighten, you are
mistaken and delusional. No May 7 again, no one wants it and no one wants civil
war," he said. "If you want a one-sided war, go for it, but you must know that
your problem is not with any sect or party, your problem is with the state, its
government, its army, its institutions, its supporters, and the overwhelming
majority of the Lebanese people."Hezbollah's weapons did not protect the Shiites
but rather endangered their lives, Geagea said, calling on the Shiites to "free
themselves" and to live side by side with other Lebanese citizens. "You are an
essential component of the Lebanese society and the Lebanese will not accept any
injustice, discrimination, or infringement on your rights (after Hezbollah
disarms)," he said. "The real solution is the path to the state. Trust that the
state will protect you and that is is the only refuge and the only guarantee."
Israel Tells
Lebanon It Will Pursue Military Pressures
Tel Aviv: Nazir Magally/Asharq Al Awsat/September 08/025
Israeli politicians on Sunday has branded the Lebanese government's plan
allowing the army to begin centralizing weapons under its control as “vague,
confidential and missing a timetable,” claiming that Hezbollah was pleased with
such “compromising solution.”
The politicians also said that in its decision, the Lebanese government wanted
to avoid a “confrontation” with Hezbollah, and practically circumvented a
radical solution that meets the necessary requirements to achieve stability in
the region. The Israeli reaction was not official. It came through leaks to
Hebrew media outlets from several politicians and security officials in Tel
Aviv. Meanwhile, the Yedioth Ahronoth newspaper said the Israeli army believes
Hezbollah continues to possess a substantial arsenal, including precision
missiles, thousands of rockets and drones, some of which are domestically
produced after the fall of Syria’s Assad regime cut off land-based smuggling
routes. The newspaper quoted a high-ranking military official as saying that
Hezbollah is actively working to rebuild and upgrade its power, especially in
the south and the Bekaa, while the Israeli army is trying to prevent the group’s
activities through precision bombing and assassinations. The official added,
“the Lebanese Army is trying but its efforts are limited. First because
Hezbollah is determined to regain power, second, because the Lebanese
authorities are cautious and fearful and third because the army has not yet
eliminated Hezbollah’ influence within its ranks.”
Washington’s Pressures
Another source told Yedioth Ahronoth that Israel is demanding that the US
administration supports its plans to defeat Hezbollah militarily. The source
revealed that in return, Washington is demanding that Israel eases its military
operations, which are weakening the Lebanese government and its reconstruction
efforts. But Israel insists the Lebanese authority and its army cannot be
strengthened without weakening Hezbollah, the source noted.
“There is a proposal on the table presented by the US envoy, Thomas
Barrack, to the Lebanese leadership, which includes demands that the Lebanese
government has already officially adopted, in its meetings on August 5 and 7,”
the source said. However, he added, “the Lebanese leadership and the army, in
its current form, are unable to implement a full disarmament of Hezbollah before
the end of 2025. They propose a gradual plan that takes into account Lebanese
constraints, within a realistic timetable to dismantle and disarm the
party.”Meanwhile, Israel believes that the long war that started on 7 October
2023 has caused major changes in regional balance, especially in the ranks of
the Iranian axis and in Lebanon. Tel Aviv says the West must benefit from this
change. Orna Mizrahi, a senior researcher at the Institute for National Security
Studies (INSS), said Israel should now benefit from Hezbollah's weakness.
However, she added, the Israeli military achievements have not, so far, led to a
stable security reality and there is no guarantee that they will be maintained
in the long term.”Mizrahi said Hezbollah has not yet been defeated and still
poses a threat to Israel while, in parallel, the Lebanese state is still weak.
Earlier, INSS recommended that the Israeli government develop a strategic plan,
insisting on the elimination of Hezbollah's military presence in Lebanon.
Ceasefire
Committee Resumes Meetings in Lebanon
Asharq Al Awsat/September 08/025
The committee overseeing the ceasefire between Lebanon and Israel resumed on
Sunday its meetings in Lebanon’s southern Naqoura region. US envoy Morgan
Ortagus and US Navy Admiral Brad Cooper, Commander of the US Central Command
(USCENTCOM), attended the meetings, which had come to a halt for several
weeks.The resumption reflects a new drive to revive the committee and fully
implement the ceasefire that was reached in November between Israel and Lebanon
to end the war with Hezbollah. The committee is headed
by the US and includes Lebanon, France and Israel as members, as well as the
United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL), and is also tasked with
overseeing the implementation of UN Security Council resolution 1701.
Cooper and Ortagus held a meeting at the UNIFIL headquarters in Naqoura
on Sunday before going on a helicopter tour of the border regions in the central
and western sectors. They then returned to Beirut. Ortagus had arrived in Beirut
on Sunday and headed directly to Naqoura. She has not held any meetings with
Lebanese officials, which ministerial sources said was not a negative sign.
They told Asharq Al-Awsat that her participation in the Naqoura meetings
were tied to her mission to Lebanon, which is overseeing the implementation of
the ceasefire.Cooper, for his part, met with President Joseph Aoun and Army
Commander Rodolphe Haykal on Saturday. He spent the night in Cyprus before
returning to Lebanon on Sunday. Details of the
meetings were not announced, but the sources said that after a lull, Lebanon
received pledges that the committee will resume work at a greater pace.
A new head of the committee will be announced soon with current head,
General Michael Linney’s term ending soon. The sources said the American
delegation praised Lebanon’s efforts towards the ceasefire, while Aoun urged the
US to pressure Israel to withdraw from Lebanese territories it is occupying in
the South so that the army can complete its deployment there. He said the
military has deployed in over 85 percent of the South and continues to
confiscate weapons and ammunition amid challenging circumstances. Twelve
officers and soldiers have been killed while carrying out their duties, such as
transferring ammunition or dismantling mines. Aoun stressed to Cooper the
importance of the US continuing to support the army and provide it with the
necessary gear so that it can carry out its tasks throughout Lebanon, including
preserving security, thwarting smuggling, counter-terrorism and securing the
border with Syria. For his part, Cooper hailed the army for its efforts, saying
Washington will continue to support it, said a presidency statement.
Flyers threaten Walid Abboud with kidnap, torture and murder
Naharnet/September 8, 2025
Prominent Lebanese journalist and talk show host Walid Abboud on Monday received
threats to his life through a number of flyers that were thrown around his house
in Keserwan. Signed “the Houthi Ansarullah Group,” in
reference to Yemen’s Houthi rebels, the flyers contained slurs against Abboud
and his family and kidnap, torture and death threats.
“Stop attacking the security and dignity of the Islamic and Arab nation from
your Zionist and collaborator channel,” the flyers say. Abboud is currently the
news director at Lebanon's MTV and the host of a talk show on the state-run Tele
Liban. “The time of your punishment has come … So be always ready and cautious
regarding the penalties that await you: kidnap, torture and then physical
liquidation,” the flyers add. The threats were widely condemned in Lebanon, with
the Lebanese Forces stressing that any intimidation attempt will fail and noting
that Lebanon “has entered the era of the state.”
Salam stresses govt. to press on with arms monopolization
Naharnet/September 8, 2025
Prime Minister Nawaf Salam noted Monday that “Lebanon’s stability is not only a
Lebanese need but also a joint Arab need,” stressing that the government “will
carry on with the implementation of its decisions as to the monopolization of
arms in the hands of the state across Lebanon.”“After it returned to its natural
position among its Arab brothers, Lebanon needs boosting support for the
Lebanese Army, seeing as it is the main pillar for protecting the country,”
Salam added. He also called for “pressing Israel to halt its attacks and
withdraw from the Lebanese territory it is still occupying.”
Washington is leveraging its influence to facilitate the
army's mission: Aid and pressure on Israel
Lara Yazbek/Al-Markazia/September 8, 2025 (translated
from Arabic)
President of the Republic, General Joseph Aoun, called on the United States to
pressure Israel to withdraw from the territories it occupies in the south,
enabling the Lebanese Army to complete its deployment up to the international
border. He stressed the importance of continued US support for the Lebanese Army
and providing it with the necessary equipment and machinery to enable it to
carry out its assigned tasks throughout Lebanese territory. During his meeting
with the Commander of the US Central Command, Admiral Brad Cooper, at Baabda
Palace on Saturday, Aoun asked him to "activate the work of the Cessation of
Hostilities Supervisory Committee (MECHANISM) to ensure the implementation of
what was agreed upon last November regarding the cessation of Israeli attacks on
Lebanon, the withdrawal from the hills and lands it occupies, and the return of
prisoners, so that Resolution 1701 is implemented in all its provisions,"
according to a statement from the Lebanese presidency. President Aoun stressed
that "these steps help implement the decision taken by the Lebanese government
regarding the exclusive possession of weapons by the Lebanese Armed Forces,
especially since the Council of Ministers welcomed on Friday the military plan
developed by the army command for this purpose." On Sunday, during a meeting in
Naqoura of the ceasefire monitoring committee, attended by Cooper and US envoy
Morgan Ortagus, the Lebanese army presented a comprehensive vision for the first
phase of its security plan. According to information, the United States welcomed
the Lebanese offer and affirmed its commitment to supporting the Lebanese army
logistically and politically. The US administration, through its
representatives, especially the commander of the Central Command, also requested
additional details about implementation mechanisms and required field
capabilities, reflecting Washington's interest in strengthening coordination
with the Lebanese military institution. While there was an agreement to activate
the mechanism's role to monitor violations and take action after a period of
slowness, and Lebanon was informed of the replacement of the head of the
ceasefire monitoring committee, General Lenny, two weeks later with another
American Marine general, it was also reported that the Israeli position was
positive, as it considered that the implementation of the first phase of the
army's plan should occur in parallel with raising the level of coordination with
the mechanism. These developments are not details, according to informed
political sources told Al-Markazia. The United States' entry, with its weight,
on the line of consolidating the calm in the south, and facilitating the
Lebanese army's mission to confine Weapons, two closely linked points, are not a
trivial matter. The day after the Lebanese state approved the army's plan to
restrict weapons, Washington arrived in Beirut with its highest military leaders
in the Middle East to inquire about what Lebanon and its army needed to
implement the plan. It seemed that what Lebanon demanded through its president
quickly found receptive ears with the Americans. They are on their way to
activating the "mechanism," and they will also provide the army with all the
support they can, in whatever form, to implement its plan. They will also move
towards Tel Aviv to push it to reduce its violations of the ceasefire agreement
and respond to the "step-by-step" demand that Lebanon is raising the banner
of... While the sources do not rule out the possibility of seeing "positive"
Israeli steps in this regard in the coming period, the sources say that
Washington has become convinced that Lebanon is serious about implementing the
"arms restriction" and that Israel's intransigence is hindering this process.
Hence, the United States is determined to make every effort with Tel Aviv to
force the latter to make some concessions. This is because the more Israel's
intransigence has further complicated the arms embargo on Lebanon, and the
likelihood of a renewed Israeli war has increased. This is the last thing the
administration of US President Donald Trump, currently seeking to end wars
worldwide, hopes to see, the sources conclude.
The lawsuit against Naim Qassem is political, awaiting the
audacity of the Public Prosecution Office...practically, no legal result!
Joanna Farhat/Al-Markazia/September 8, 2025
(translated from Arabic)
Al-Markazia - In a legal precedent, marking the first time in the history of the
political and judicial scene in Lebanon, a number of MPs, politicians, and
activists have filed a complaint with the Public Prosecution Office against
Hezbollah Deputy Secretary-General Naim Qassem over his recent statements. They
believe they "crossed the line of exposing Lebanon to civil war and inciting
sectarian strife," when he spoke of a "Karbala war in response to the
government's decision to withdraw illegal weapons." The legal action against
Qassem is not an individual initiative, but rather the result of broad sovereign
coordination. This judicial action was not limited to MPs and politicians alone.
A group of opinion leaders and media professionals filed a separate legal
complaint against Qassem following his threatening speech and other statements,
which they considered a violation of the law and a public expression of their
rejection of the imposition of weapons and threats on society. Has this been the
beginning of a phase of change, or will the "change" keep Qassem and others
immune from accountability until the actual day of reckoning arrives?
Former State Shura Council Chairman Judge Shukri Sader confirmed to Al-Markazia
that nothing practical can be achieved in the judicial complaint filed by a
number of MPs and politicians against the Secretary-General of Hezbollah. We
must distinguish between the legal aspect and Hezbollah's internal policy.
He added, "In the legal aspect, Qassem is supposed to appear in person before
the judiciary in accordance with applicable laws. He will be heard and
questioned about the statements he made and whether they explicitly undermine
civil peace and coexistence, as well as the contents of the lawsuit." "This is
in the law. But in similar circumstances, summoning the Secretary-General of
Hezbollah for investigation would declare a civil war. Hence, I believe that the
complaint filed by MPs and politicians aims to show a civilized face in response
to the manner and style in which Naim Qassem spoke. They are aware in advance
that summoning Naim Qassem for investigation is "impossible" under the current
circumstances. How could it not be, when up until now the international
community has been unable to convince the party to hand over a rifle, and we
have not yet spoken about the weapons depots." Emphasizing the role of
circumstances and the importance of the political moment, Judge Sader points to
the lawsuits filed against Bashar al-Assad during his rule in Syria, which
yielded no results until after his dismissal and departure from the heart of the
Syrian regime. "The same situation applies to Hezbollah. Many lawsuits have been
filed, and others will follow, but they will not yield results in the normal
legal process. Hezbollah Secretary-General Naim Qassem will not appear before
the judiciary, and the lawsuit is merely to record a position, nothing more and
nothing less." Sader concludes, "Morally, we can confirm the victory of the
plaintiffs, especially since they pursued the legal path in responding to
Qassem. Practically, however, the party and the plaintiffs know full well that
the complaint will yield no results." Constitutional expert and lawyer Saeed
Malek explains to Al-Markazia the legal dimension of the step taken by the
representatives and political figures, offering a precise approach to the
judicial framework that the prosecution may take against Naim Qassem. "It is
clear that the background to this lawsuit is political, but it is based on the
principles of legal provisions stipulated in the Lebanese Penal Code." He
continues, "There is no doubt that Sheikh Naim Qassem has committed acts that
qualify as criminal acts under the Penal Code. As for the course of this
complaint, it was submitted to the Public Prosecution Office at the Court of
Cassation, which must initiate investigations by attempting to notify the
defendant to appear before it for interrogation and hearing. If this is not
possible, it is supposed to file a search and investigation report against him.
After that, the entire file will be referred to the relevant Public Prosecution
Office at the Court of Appeal, i.e. the Public Prosecutor of Appeal in Mount
Lebanon, in order to file a lawsuit against him and refer him to the
investigating judge." Are these procedures helpful or not? Will they lead to a
result or not? Malek explains, "This question remains subject to the Public
Prosecutor's audacity in taking these legal steps, on the one hand, and the
ability of the security and judicial agencies to implement any indication that
may be issued by the competent judiciary, on the other. This issue is thorny,
especially since its background is political, and the complaint is not directed
at an ordinary person, but rather at the Secretary-General of a major party who
could confuse matters. However, I believe that whoever filed this lawsuit did so
to uphold justice, achieve fairness, and achieve true retribution for the
criminal acts he committed." In response to the question about the time limit
for summoning Qasim, Malek explains that the matter is up to the Public
Prosecutor. However, in law, when there is no time limit, we speak of a
reasonable time limit. This is not specified, but logic dictates that when there
is a complaint, how long can the Public Prosecutor give itself the opportunity
to summon or take action? This is considered a reasonable time limit," Malek
concludes.
Gebran and the
Barbara Checkpoint
Imad Moussa/Nidaa Al Watan/September 9, 2025
(translated from Arabic)
Gebran Bassil's campaign against the Barbara checkpoint appears justified. The
man has been targeted since he was a child and a "scaffolder." There are two
versions of the infamous coastal checkpoint. The first says that Bashir Gemayel
informed the Kataeb Commissioner of the Amsheet district to close the Byblos
area toward Batroun, in coordination with the commander of the Northern Front,
Samir Geagea, in response to a massacre committed by Marada members in the
village of Shmut, specifically at the home of Emile Khoury, where a dance party
was being held on April 21, 1979. Following the massacre, a permanent checkpoint
was erected in the coastal village of Barbara to protect the liberated area, and
another checkpoint was erected in the town of Ain Kfaa, the birthplace of Maroun
Abboud. The second story tells of a brilliant four-year-old boy living in
Batroun, enjoying extraordinary health. A fortune teller passing by his father's
shop predicted a bright future for him, telling him literally: "My son, my
little darling, I see you as the president of the republic. Eat bread until you
grow up." The news reached Deir el-Qattara, where Geagea instructed the
checkpoint guards to withhold loaves of bread from the young Gebran, the new
prophet of the republic. From 1979 to 1991, Gebran lived on "dabke" biscuits and
"three fives" because the checkpoint guards took "money and loaves of bread from
the people," as the preacher of Bqa'touta put it. They deprived the boy of
natural food and deprived his family of money. Gebran was one of the people and
lived with the people. The boy grew up, and his resentment of reality grew. He
resisted, he struggled, he distributed leaflets, he hung up pictures, and more.
He crossed ten crossings daily, braving danger to reach the front, and from
there to the American University of Beirut, where he studied engineering and was
the brightest student from 1951 to this day!
Let's return to the loaf of bread that Gebran was deprived of for years, and he
held on to his wounds, contenting himself with whatever flour products were
available. During the 14-year war, no Mount Lebanon resident suffered as much as
the child from Batroun. Hateful imaginations have fabricated many stories about
confiscated loaves of bread. The truth is that one day in 1987, Minister of
Economy Victor Kassir contacted Dr. Samir Geagea, complaining about the
smuggling of subsidized bread into Syria and requesting his assistance. The
latter instructed those in charge of all land and sea crossings within the
liberated areas to prohibit the transport of more than two loaves of bread and
to confiscate any excess. The Barbara checkpoint is one such crossing.
In Bqa'touta, Gebran turned on his rusty tap. He talked about people being
deprived of water, electricity and dams, which prompted a response from a water
expert, which was: “If you were to close them, Gebran...what would be better?”
Shia, Shia, Shia
Saleh Al-Mashnouk/Nidaa Al-Watan/September 9, 2025
(translated from Arabic)
The slogan seemed strange. The phenomenon began during the "October 17
Revolution." A group of young men stormed a civil demonstration, chanting at it
at the top of their lungs and with raised fists (as the Secretary-General had
instructed them): Shia, Shia, Shia. The tragedy was not only the sectarian
dimension of the slogan, but also its dullness. It did not express a demand
(sovereignty, freedom, etc.), nor did it reject a demand. It did not contain any
"glitter," no play on words, nor even different words that rhymed. It was simply
identity politics in its most trivial manifestations.
Everyone acted as if the young men were "undisciplined elements," meaning that
they could not seriously express the orientations of a party with regional
dimensions, a global vision ("We were defeated in Lebanon, but we won in
Colombia"), and a historical leadership. A few years passed, the Nakba occurred,
and the truth was revealed. The slogan "Shiites, Shiites, Shiites" has become
the official battle cry of Hezbollah's integrated political system. From the
Supreme Islamic Shiite Council (they want to "execute the Shiite sect"), to the
Secretary-General of Hezbollah ("We will fight a Karbala battle"), to the
explosion of commentators, "analysts," and "activists." With the illusion of
confronting Israel shattered and the pretext of confronting "takfiris in Syria"
fading, the only title left for the battle is "Shiites, Shiites, Shiites." This
is a positive development, as we no longer discuss the gender of angels, the
policies of imperialist states, or the "Israeli threat," but rather the core and
essence of the matter: Shiites, Shiites, Shiites. Hezbollah's weapons and
project are based on sectarian superiority, while the rest of the titles
(Israeli imperialism, etc.) are part of the "trickery." From here, a serious
discussion begins with the "party's" logic, far removed from the outdated
literature it has masterfully dragged us into for three decades. It has even
forced its opponents to call it "the resistance" (with the definite article),
and then embark on a debate about how, when, and how to use weapons (the most
absurd of these proposals was to reject the use of weapons domestically but to
bless their use against the "Israeli enemy").
All the fig leaves have fallen. The "party" no longer has any serious allies
outside its own sect. All serious opinion polls (not the imagined ones in the
yellow press) show that support for weapons has no significant impact outside
the Shiite sect (not exceeding 10 percent). There is no longer any trace of the
ill-fated Mar Mikhael Agreement, and no leaders of the "resistance brigades"
within the Sunni sect. The demand for a "blocking third" for what was once
called the opposition has ceased to be a "play in the open," with its false
title, "the national charter," a word used instead of the more accurate term,
"the right of veto" for the Shiite sect over both legislative and executive
powers. Hezbollah no longer has a "weapon" other than its sectarian title. This
is not a flaw in itself, as many ethnic movements around the world have carried
a distinctly sectarian title and fought for it. The Kurds, for example, did not
claim to carry weapons to change the face of the Middle East or support the
oppressed worldwide. They carried weapons in defense of what they considered
their right to self-determination and the establishment of their own state. The
Bosnian Serbs did the same, regardless of the heinous methods they employed in
their struggle. However, they openly aspired to secede from their state and join
a neighboring state, namely the Republic of Yugoslavia (mini-Yugoslavia). When
the two groups were unable to achieve their desired and declared goal, they
submitted to the settlement of ethnic federalism (at least in Bosnia) and the
right to veto major issues in the central state (not the maintenance of weapons,
as some here imagine).
Hezbollah does not want federalism (neither for itself nor for others), nor
secession, nor any further sectarian "rights" within the system. Therefore, in
the comparative sense of ethnic conflicts, it is an anomaly that cannot be dealt
with according to historically recognized rules. It wants a situation resembling
sectarian apartheid, whereby it has the right to what others do not, even though
the repercussions of what it presumes to be its right affect it as well as
others. This is due to two factors: the geographical nature (there are no
borders with Iran or Iraq), and the ideological nature, meaning that it is
practically an integral part of the Iranian Revolutionary Guard and the project
of the Guardianship of the Jurist in the region. Therefore, returning to the
natural place facilitates discussion, but it does not facilitate a solution, as
its sectarian demands are transnational and not "traditional," as is the case
with the Kurds or Serbs. The important thing from now on is not to return the
discussion to places that are not related to the original issue, such as the
Israeli withdrawal from the five points, or Lebanon's right to "resistance," or
other such nonsense. Rather, we should deal with the weapons based on what the
weapon owners say: sectarian weapons with sectarian goals and a sectarian
support base. Since there are no achievable "demands" on this sectarian path,
then there is no point in further discussion, and there is no escape from
confronting the weapons under the guise of the state and its heavy-handed tools.
Then, Hezbollah will not find many Shiites who support its Iranian project,
except perhaps those like those who once gathered on the side of the road,
chanting the only "real" slogan in Hezbollah's lexicon: Shia, Shia, Shia.
Fears of the failure of the state process... Berri does not
want "Shiite suicide"
Youssef Fares/Al-Markazia/September 8, 2025
(translated from Arabic)
Al-Markazia - The army's plan to monopolize arms control, approved by the
Council of Ministers, marked a turning point in the domestic scene. For the
first time, it prioritized the logic of the state over that of a mini-state,
despite the upcoming confrontations between the government and opponents of the
decision, led by Hezbollah, which is not easily willing to relinquish its
weapons and its regional role, which is in harmony with Iranian requirements.
Nevertheless, anticipation remains the mastermind. Whether the government's bold
stance to disarm illegal weapons will become the beginning of a process that
restores respect for state institutions, or whether it will falter under the
weight of the rigid internal balances that Lebanon has become accustomed to
clashing with every reform initiative, remains to be seen.
The plan presented by the army for disarming weapons proposes a gradual process
in five stages, beginning with its completion south of the Litani River,
followed by the second stage, then the first, then Beirut, then the Bekaa, and
finally the remaining regions. This will be accompanied by the completion of the
plan to disarm Palestinian camps and extend the army's authority over all
Lebanese territory. The first phase south of the Litani River was set at three
months, consistent with the deadline set by the Council of Ministers for
implementing the arms monopoly decision. In the remaining regions, the plan
calls for what is described as the containment of weapons, meaning the
prohibition of their carrying and transfer. Former MP Mustafa Alloush confirmed
to Al-Markazia that the process of restoring the state has begun. What matters
is that it finds its way to implementation in its specified stages, without
clashing with Hezbollah supporters, who cling to their weapons for sectarian and
ideological reasons, rather than with its members. I believe that the political
duo has begun to accept the return to the state, especially the Amal Movement,
which is distinguished by the positions of Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri, who
favors a culture of life over a culture of martyrdom and death. The weapons
surrender train is on track, and Speaker Berri understands better than anyone
else that his opposition is tantamount to suicide, a path he does not want to
lead members of the sect to. Therefore, he is proceeding at various points in
the process of restoring the state to enable the government to complete the
process peacefully and without conflict. He concludes by expressing his fear
that the state's journey will not reach its intended end, which should be
crowned with success and the revitalization of institutions, not only on the
security level, but also on the administrative level, since the structure or
system controlling the course of affairs in the country still holds the
decision-making power, as evidenced by the continuation of the previous approach
in all aspects of the state, despite the approval of numerous reform projects
and laws. In addition, the Lebanese structure, in terms of its convergence and
national integration, remains weak.
Will Washington's mediation save Netanyahu from the Gaza
quagmire?
Laura Yamin/Al-Markazia/September 8, 2025
(translated from Arabic)
Al-Markazia - Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said at the start of a
cabinet meeting on Israel's international standing yesterday that "if he is
forced to choose between victory over his enemies and bad propaganda against
him, he will inevitably choose the former." He continued, "I am aware of the
price we are paying in the diplomatic and propaganda arena, and the best way out
of this situation is by establishing new propaganda systems, as we discussed,
and of course by ending the war as quickly as possible, ending the war with a
victory according to the conditions we set: eliminating Hamas, returning the
kidnapped soldiers, and ensuring that Gaza does not pose a threat to us."
Netanyahu added, "We are strengthening our operations on the outskirts of Gaza
City and inside it. We are destroying the infrastructure, eliminating the
criminal leaders, and creating another humanitarian space to allow the civilian
population in Gaza to leave for a safe place and receive humanitarian aid
there." This statement comes a day after US President Donald Trump announced
that Netanyahu's wars have affected Israel's public relations abroad and his
popularity in the US. Netanyahu has exploited these situations to attempt to
once again portray himself as a "hero," willing to sacrifice everything for
Israel's interests, according to diplomatic sources told Al-Markazia. However,
the man now knows well that what he is doing, especially in Gaza, is a costly
adventure—humanly, militarily, politically, and internationally—and today's
Ramot operation in Jerusalem is one of its consequences. He also knows that he
is facing difficulties on the Israeli street, which rejects the continuation of
the war, which poses a danger to the hostages. Amid this uncomfortable
atmosphere for Israel, the United States continues its pressure to halt the
Israeli war on Gaza. US envoy Steve Witkoff has resumed his activity on this
line, conveying new offers to Hamas via Egyptian and Qatari mediators to stop
the fighting and release all hostages. Channel 10 Kan quoted a source close to
Netanyahu as saying yesterday that "Israel is prepared to stop the occupation of
Gaza City if it is presented with a real deal." Could his efforts achieve a
breakthrough, and will they constitute a ladder that will bring Netanyahu down
from the tall tree he climbed by announcing his intention to occupy Gaza? Or
will he pursue further evasion, especially after the Ramot operation? Israeli
Defense Minister Yisrael Katz wrote on his Twitter account today: "Today, a
powerful hurricane will strike the skies of Gaza City, and the roofs of the
terrorist towers will collapse. This is a final warning to Hamas's killers in
Gaza and in the luxury hotels abroad: Release the hostages and lay down your
weapons, or Gaza will be destroyed and you will be annihilated." The Israeli
army is continuing its operations as planned and is preparing to expand its
maneuvers in order to decisively defeat Gaza.
Hamas equates its weapons with those of Hezbollah...and Fatah fears the
occupation of the camps for Iran's benefit
Najwa Abi Haidar/Al-Markazia/September 08, 2025
(translated from Arabic)
Al-Markazia - In parallel with the uproar surrounding the handover of
Hezbollah's weapons and the accompanying positions at home and abroad, the issue
of handing over Palestinian weapons remains strongly present, especially with
the launch of the handover process to the Lebanese Army in three camps and the
determination to complete the process soon, pending the availability of all the
necessary data and conditions.
Palestinian weapons are not linked to Hezbollah's weapons, neither in their path
nor in their fate, according to what a security source told Al-Markazia. Their
handover to the state has its own considerations and a different policy. These
weapons are owned by a non-Lebanese faction and will be handed over to the
state, where they will remain in its custody until the Palestinian Authority
demands them. As for Hezbollah's weapons, they are owned by a Lebanese party
faction, and their fate will be similar to that of the militias during the war.
According to the Taif Agreement, the inaugural address, the ministerial
statement of Prime Minister Nawaf Salam's government, and international
resolutions, particularly 1701, and the ceasefire agreement based on the
American-French proposal, the state has the right to confiscate and destroy
them, based on the decision to restrict weapons to the state. According to the
source, after confiscating them, the military establishment will take what suits
it and destroy what is useless, such as precision and ballistic missiles, for
example, because their use requires Iranian experts, and therefore they will be
destroyed. While the issue of Hezbollah handing over its weapons remains
problematic despite all the decisions issued in this regard, Palestinian weapons
also pose a problem, particularly those held by Hamas and Islamic Jihad, both of
which are affiliated with Iran. These organizations have declared that they will
not relinquish their weapons as long as Israel occupies Palestine. Accordingly,
Fatah officials do not hide their concern over Hamas and the factions' refusal
to hand over weapons to the Lebanese state, as they did. They believe that
Hamas's and the factions' continued possession of weapons is consistent with
Hezbollah's refusal to hand over its weapons. Therefore, they say, Fatah has put
the brakes on the weapons handover process and has begun negotiations with
officials in Ramallah and Lebanon regarding the post-handover phase, fearing
that Hamas and the factions will take control of the camps vacated by Fatah.
During the negotiations, Fatah demands that the Lebanese state disarm Hamas and
the other factions and place the camps under its security control, in
coordination with the Palestinian National Police, so that they remain under
Fatah's authority, i.e., subordinate to the Palestinian Authority in Ramallah.
Fatah also demands that the Iranian-backed factions be prevented from seizing
control of the camps and handing them an additional card to Iran, thereby
strengthening its position in the nuclear negotiations with Washington.
Fatah officials point to the recurring security incidents in the camps
controlled by pro-Iranian factions, the most recent of which occurred in Burj
al-Barajneh a few days ago. They believe that these incidents are a message to
the Lebanese state that its weapons are equivalent to those of Hezbollah in the
context of their existence and objectives, and that they will not be surrendered
because they have not yet achieved the liberation of the land.
The Latest English LCCC Miscellaneous
Reports And News published
on September 08-09/2025
Israel Bombs Areas Around Three Syrian
Cities
Asharq Al-Awsat/September 8, 2025
Syrian state media reported on Monday that Israel bombed the areas around three
cities: Homs in central Syria, coastal Latakia, and the historic city of
Palmyra. There has been no immediate comment from Israel, according to Reuters.
The Syrian Foreign Ministry condemned the Israeli airstrikes, describing them as
a "flagrant violation" of the country's sovereignty and a threat to its regional
stability. In a statement, the ministry said they were "part of a series of
aggressive escalations pursued by Israel against Syrian territory." Syrian media
did not provide further details on the scale or impact of the Israeli strikes.
Israel has been waging an airstrike campaign for years that has destroyed much
of Syria's military infrastructure, a campaign that has intensified since the
Israeli war on Gaza. Israel and Damascus have recently engaged in US-brokered
talks on de-escalating the conflict in southern Syria.
Palestinian gunmen kill 6 people in
attack on Jerusalem bus stop
Associated Press/September 08/2025
Palestinian attackers opened fire at a bus stop at during the morning rush hour
in Jerusalem on Monday, killing six people and wounding another 12, according to
Israeli officials. An Israeli soldier and civilians
who were at the scene shot and killed the two attackers, said police, who later
arrested a third person in connection with the shooting. Footage of the attack
showed dozens of people fleeing from the bus stop at a busy intersection. The
windshield of a bus was riddled with bullet holes and belongings were scattered
across the street. The war in Gaza has sparked a surge of violence in Israel and
the occupied West Bank, with a rise in attacks by Palestinian militants as well
as settler violence against Palestinians. President Mahmoud Abbas, head of the
internationally recognized Palestinian Authority, condemned "any targeting of
Palestinian and Israeli civilians," and "denounced all forms of violence and
terrorism, regardless of their source," according to a statement from his
office. The Palestinian Authority, which administers parts of the West Bank and
cooperates with Israel on security matters, has been largely sidelined since the
start of the war. Monday's shooting — at a major intersection, with a road
leading to Jewish settlements in east Jerusalem — was the deadliest in Israel
since October 2024.
Hamas hailed the attack without claiming responsibility, calling it a "natural
response to the occupation's crimes against our people." Paramedics who
responded to the scene said broken glass covered the area, and people wounded
lay unconscious on the road and a sidewalk near the bus stop. Israel's Shin Bet
internal security agency said the two attackers were 20- and 21-year-old
Palestinians from the West Bank with no prior arrests.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu arrived at the scene some two hours after the
shooting. Netanyahu was supposed to be in court on Monday for his ongoing
corruption trial, which was delayed due to the attack. He warned that Israel is
"fighting a war on multiple fronts," including Gaza and the West Bank. Netanyahu
praised the soldier who fired on the gunmen, who was from a newly-formed unit
for ultra-Orthodox Jewish soldiers. Hundreds of
security forces searched for additional attackers or explosives that could have
been planted around the area. On Monday afternoon, police said they arrested a
resident of east Jerusalem who was connected to the attack. The Israeli military
said it is encircling Palestinian villages on the outskirts of the nearby West
Bank city of Ramallah as it steps up defense in response. In October 2024, two
Palestinians from the West Bank opened fire inside a light rail train in Tel
Aviv, killing seven people and leaving many others wounded. Hamas' military wing
claimed responsibility for that attack, the deadliest in Israel since the Oct.
7, 2023, raid that started the war in Gaza. Data from
the U.N.'s humanitarian office says at least 49 Israelis, including some
soldiers and police, have been killed by Palestinians in Israel or the West Bank
between the start of the war and July this year. During the same period, Israeli
forces and civilians killed at least 968 Palestinians in Israel and the West
Bank, according to the data. The Israeli military has said many were militants,
though the dead have also included stone throwers and uninvolved civilians.
Trump issues 'last warning' to Hamas over
hostages
Agence France Presse/September 08/2025
U.S. President Donald Trump said Sunday he was issuing a "last warning" to
Hamas, saying the Palestinian militant group must accept a deal to release
hostages in Gaza. "The Israelis have accepted my
terms. It is time for Hamas to accept as well. I have warned Hamas about the
consequences of not accepting. This is my last warning," Trump said on social
media, without elaborating further. In a statement released shortly after, Hamas
said it was ready to "immediately sit at the negotiating table" following what
it described as "some ideas from the American side aimed at reaching a ceasefire
agreement."U.S. news outlet Axios reported that White House envoy Steve Witkoff
sent a new proposal for a Gaza hostage and ceasefire deal to Hamas last week.
The White House has not released any details about the proposal but late Sunday
Trump said "you'll be hearing about it pretty soon," as he portrayed the
negotiations in a positive light. "We had some very good discussions. Good
things could happen," he told reporters. "I think we're going to have a deal on
Gaza very soon."In early March, Trump issued a similar ultimatum to Hamas,
demanding it free all remaining hostages immediately and turn over bodies of
dead hostages, saying if not, "it is OVER for you."Israeli campaign group the
Hostages and Missing Families Forum welcomed the US president's latest
intervention as a "true breakthrough." Hamas militants
seized 251 hostages during the massive October 7, 2023 attack on Israel, with 47
still believed to be in Gaza.The Israeli military says 25 of them are dead.
Israel is seeking the return of their remains.
Assault on Gaza City -
The statements from Trump and Hamas came as Israel's army bombed a Gaza City
residential tower Sunday -- the third in as many days -- after Prime Minister
Benjamin Netanyahu announced the military was "deepening" its assault on the key
urban center. Witness Mohammed Al-Nazli told AFP that
the strike on the Al-Roya tower "felt like an earthquake."At least 48 people
were killed in Sunday's Israeli attacks, according to Gaza civil defense agency
spokesman Mahmud Bassal. The air force has leveled two other residential
high-rises under the same claim that Hamas had used them as observation points.
Netanyahu said on Sunday that around 100,000 residents had already left
Gaza City, accusing Hamas of trying to prevent evacuations and of using
civilians as "human shields."The escalation has fueled fears of a further
deterioration in already dire humanitarian conditions for Palestinians living in
the area. On Saturday, Israeli protesters took to the streets to call on their
government to reverse the decision to seize Gaza City, fearing for the fate of
hostages believed to be held there. The October 7, 2023 attack resulted in the
deaths of 1,219 people, mostly civilians, according to an AFP tally based on
Israeli figures. Israel's retaliatory offensive has killed at least 64,368
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.
Israel warns Hamas to surrender or face 'annihilation'
Agence France Presse/September 8, 2025
Israel's defense minister told Hamas on Monday to lay down its arms or face
annihilation, after U.S. President Donald Trump said the militant group must
accept a deal to release hostages in Gaza. The warnings came as the Israeli
military intensified its bombings and operations around Gaza City, which it has
vowed to capture in a bid to finally defeat Hamas after nearly two years of
devastating conflict. At least 48 people were killed in Israeli attacks in Gaza
on Sunday, while another 10 were killed in strikes around Gaza City overnight,
the civil defense agency reported. AFP has contacted the Israeli military for
comment. Hamas, whose unprecedented October 2023
attack on Israel sparked the war, said shortly after Trump's comments that it
was ready for immediate talks, but the terms it gave for a deal appeared largely
unchanged from previous rounds of negotiations. "This is a final warning to the
Hamas murderers and rapists in Gaza and in luxury hotels abroad: Release the
hostages and put down your weapons -- or Gaza will be destroyed and you will be
annihilated," Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz said on X. "Today, a massive
hurricane will hit the skies of Gaza City and the roofs of the terror towers
will tremble," he wrote, adding that the military was "preparing to expand"
operations to conquer Gaza City. Israel has not
publicly announced the start of its offensive to seize the city, but on Sunday
it bombed a third high-rise in as many days, saying it was being used by Hamas
"to monitor the location of... troops in the area".Hamas has denied using
residential buildings for military purposes. Trump said Sunday he was issuing a
"last warning" to the group, insisting it accept a deal to release the hostages
seized during militants' October 2023 attack. The Israeli military says 47
hostages remain in Gaza, including 25 believed to be dead. "The Israelis have
accepted my terms. It is time for Hamas to accept as well. I have warned Hamas
about the consequences of not accepting. This is my last warning," Trump said on
social media, without elaborating further.
Ready to negotiate
In a statement released shortly after Trump's, Hamas said it was ready to
"immediately sit at the negotiating table" following what it described as "some
ideas from the American side aimed at reaching a ceasefire agreement". In
exchange, it said it wanted "a clear declaration of the end of the war, a full
withdrawal from the Gaza Strip, and the formation of a committee of independent
Palestinians to manage the Gaza Strip, which would begin its duties
immediately".U.S. news outlet Axios reported that White House envoy Steve
Witkoff sent a new proposal for a Gaza hostage and ceasefire deal to Hamas last
week.
The White House has not released any details about the proposal, but late Sunday
Trump said "you'll be hearing about it pretty soon", portraying the negotiations
in a positive light. "I think we're going to have a
deal on Gaza very soon," he told reporters. In early
March, Trump issued a similar ultimatum to Hamas, demanding it free all living
hostages immediately and turn over the bodies of the dead, saying if not, "it is
OVER for you". Hamas agreed last month to a ceasefire proposal that involved a
60-day truce and staggered hostage releases. Israel, however, has demanded the
militant group release all the hostages at once, disarm and relinquish control
of Gaza, among other conditions. Hamas's October 7,
2023 attack on Israel resulted in the deaths of 1,219 people, mostly civilians,
according to an AFP tally based on Israeli figures. Israel's retaliatory
offensive has killed at least 64,368 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.
Israel bombs another Gaza City high-rise as US
advances new ceasefire proposal
Associated Press/September 08/2025
Israel struck and destroyed another high-rise building in Gaza City on Monday
after warning residents to evacuate, part of an offensive aimed at taking over
the largest Palestinian city. The military said it was targeting Hamas
observation posts and bombs placed around the 12-story office building. Over the
past several days, Israel has destroyed multiple high-rise buildings in Gaza
City, accusing Hamas of putting surveillance infrastructure in them. It has
ordered people to flee ahead of its ground offensive into the city of some 1
million residents, which experts say is experiencing famine. U.S. President
Donald Trump said that he was giving his "last warning" to Hamas regarding a
possible ceasefire, as Arab officials described a new U.S. proposal for the
immediate release of all the remaining hostages in exchange for 3,000
Palestinians and a temporary ceasefire. In Jerusalem, meanwhile, two Palestinian
gunmen opened fire at a bus station, killing six people and wounding 12 in the
worst such attack on Israelis in nearly a year. Tensions have soared across
Israel and the occupied West Bank in the two years since Hamas' Oct. 7 attack
out of Gaza ignited the war. Gaza's Health Ministry said hospitals received the
bodies of 65 people killed by Israeli fire over the past 24 hours, with another
320 people wounded.
'Last warning' proposal
Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar confirmed that Israel had accepted the
latest U.S. proposal during a news conference in Hungary and expressed hope it
would succeed. Hamas said in a statement late Sunday
that it was "ready to sit at the negotiating table" regarding the proposal from
U.S. Mideast envoy Steve Witkoff. The smaller Islamic Jihad militant group,
which also holds hostages, said it too would consider the proposal.
The "last warning" proposal, presented by Witkoff, calls for a negotiated
end of the war and the withdrawal of Israeli forces from Gaza once the hostages
are released and a ceasefire is established, according to officials familiar
with the talks. The prisoner exchange would include
hundreds of Palestinians serving life sentences, added the officials from Hamas,
Islamic Jihad and Egypt, who all spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss
closed-door talks. Details of the proposal were first reported by Axios.
A Hamas official said the militant group was studying the proposal with
other Palestinian factions and would respond within days. He said they will
demand a "clear commitment" that the war will end before releasing the hostages.
An Egyptian official said the new proposal, which Arab mediators received from
the U.S., was broader than previous ones and would require negotiations over
ending the war, the withdrawal of Israeli forces and Israel's demand that Hamas
disarm. Dispute over war's end has stymied ceasefire efforts.
Hamas-led militants abducted 251 people in the Oct. 7 attack and killed
some 1,200, mostly civilians. Forty-eight hostages are still inside Gaza, around
20 of them believed to be alive. Israel's retaliatory
offensive has killed at least 64,522 Palestinians, according to Gaza's Health
Ministry, which does not say how many were civilians or combatants. It says
around half of those killed were women and children. Large parts of major cities
have been completely destroyed, and around 90% of the population of some 2
million Palestinians have been displaced. Hamas has said it will only return the
remaining hostages — its only bargaining chip — in exchange for Palestinian
prisoners, a lasting ceasefire and a full Israeli withdrawal from Gaza. It says
it is willing to hand over power to politically independent Palestinians.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has rejected those terms, saying the
war will continue until all the hostages are returned and Hamas has been
disarmed. He says Israel will maintain open-ended security control over Gaza and
facilitate what he describes as the voluntary emigration of much of its
population, which the Palestinians and many others see as a plan for forcible
expulsion. Mediators had previously focused on brokering a temporary ceasefire
and the release of some hostages, with the two sides then holding talks on a
more permanent truce. Witkoff walked away from those talks in July, after which
Hamas accepted a proposal that the mediators said was almost identical to an
earlier one that Israel had approved.
Israeli Military Says Sirens Activated Near
Eilat Due to a 'Hostile Aircraft'
Asharq Al Awsat/September 08/025
The Israeli military said on Monday that sirens had been activated near the
southern city of Eilat after the intrusion of a hostile aircraft. Israel's Ramon
Airport near Eilat resumed operations after being briefly shut on Sunday when a
drone launched from Yemen struck the arrivals hall
Houthi drone strikes Israeli airport in rare hit as Israel
steps up Gaza City attacks
Associated Press/September 08/2025
A drone fired by Yemen's Houthi rebels breached Israel's multilayered air
defenses on Sunday and slammed into the country's southern airport, the Israeli
military said, blowing out glass windows, wounding one person and briefly
shutting down commercial airspace. The damage to Ramon
Airport appeared limited and flights resumed within hours. The Houthis claimed
responsibility for the strike. The attack follows Israeli strikes on Yemen's
rebel-held capital that killed the Houthi prime minister and other top officials
in a major escalation of the nearly 2-year-old conflict between Israel and the
Iran-backed militant group in Yemen.In Gaza City, the Israeli military on Sunday
leveled another high-rise tower that housed hundreds of displaced Palestinians
and urged people to move south as it intensified its offensive on the city.
Meanwhile, a breakthrough Israeli Supreme Court decision ruled that Israel was
not providing Palestinian detainees in its custody with enough food to ensure
basic sustenance. It ordered the state to "guarantee basic living conditions in
accordance with the law" for the thousands of Palestinians in its detention
facilities. Sunday's ruling, made in response to a
petition by Israeli human rights groups alleging starvation among Palestinians
in the country's prisons, marked a rare instance of Israeli legal restraint on
its own war policies that have drawn indignation and outrage abroad.
Yemen's Houthi rebels escalate attacks on Israel
After Israel's killing of Houthi Prime Minister Ahmed al-Rahawi last Thursday,
the militants vowed to escalate their attacks targeting Israel and merchant
ships navigating the vital Red Sea trade route. One of several Houthi drones
launched from Yemen on Sunday slipped through Israel's sophisticated defense
system and crashed into the passenger terminal at the Ramon International
Airport near the resort city of Eilat, the Israeli Airports Authority said,
diverting flights over southern Israel and inflicting light shrapnel wounds on a
63-year-old man. Houthi military spokesperson Brig. Gen. Yahya Saree said the
group had fired eight drones at Israel to signal that the rebels "will escalate
their military operations and not back down from their support for Gaza." He
warned that Israeli airports "are unsafe and will be continuously targeted."The
Israeli military said it intercepted three Houthi drones near Israel's border
with Egypt and was investigating why it failed to identify the fourth drone that
struck Ramon Airport as a threat. The Houthis have stepped up their aerial
attacks on Israel in recent months, including by deploying warheads with cluster
munitions that scatter smaller bomblets over a large area and can evade Israeli
air defenses.
Saying that they were acting in solidarity with the Palestinians, the Houthis
began firing missiles and drones into Israel after Hamas' Oct. 7, 2023 attack on
Israel ignited the Israeli military's devastating campaign in Gaza. Hamas
militants killed 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and abducted over 250 in their
assault on southern Israel.While frequent, the aerial attacks from Yemen have
not caused significant damage in Israel. Before
Sunday's assault, the most damaging Houthi attack was in May, when a Houthi
missile struck near Israel's main Ben Gurion Airport, prompting international
airlines to cancel flights to Tel Aviv for months.
Israel destroys another high-rise in Gaza City
Associated Press/September 08/2025
The Israeli military said it razed another high-rise building in Gaza City on
Sunday, shortly after military spokesperson Avichay Adraee ordered the
evacuation of people from a seven-story building in a southern Gaza City
neighborhood and nearby tents. Al-Ra'iya Tower crumbled in a flash, its facade
cascading down into a heap of rubble and sending people scrambling for cover.
Israel said the building targeted on Sunday had been used by Hamas for
intelligence-gathering activities. Hamas denied the accusation. It was unclear
how many people had been killed or wounded in the attack. It's the third Gaza
City high-rise leveled in as many days as Israel ramps up its offensive to take
control of what it portrays as Hamas' last remaining stronghold, urging
Palestinians to flee parts of Gaza City for a designated humanitarian zone in
the territory's south. Many Palestinians, exhausted from being displaced
multiple time during the war, have opted to stay put rather than uproot
themselves for jam-packed, increasingly unsanitary tent encampments that are
unprepared to handle the influx. Others reluctantly fled even as past Israeli
attacks on humanitarian zones have reinforced the feeling that nowhere is safe
in the enclave. "Every time we move to a place, we get displaced from it," said
Shireen Al-Lada', who fled south from eastern Gaza City after her house in the
once-bustling urban neighborhood of Zeitoun was destroyed.
Officials at Gaza City's Shifa Hospital reported that Israeli strikes on a
school-turned-shelter and on tents and apartment buildings killed at least 13
Palestinians, including six children and three women.The Israeli military said
it was targeting militants near the school and had warned civilians to evacuate.
In central Gaza, Al-Awda Hospital said it had received five dead bodies,
including that of a young girl, after Israel struck a gathering in the
U.N.-administered Nuseirat refugee camp. The Israeli army did not immediately
respond to a request for comment on the strike. Over 64,000 people have been
killed in the Gaza Strip since the war began, according to the Gaza Health
Ministry that does not distinguish between civilians and combatants. It says
that more than half the casualties are women and children. Trump claims Israel
accepted his ceasefire terms; Israel is silent. U.S.
President Donald Trump claimed on social media on Sunday that Israel accepted
his terms for a ceasefire in Gaza and urged Hamas to do the same. It was not
clear precisely what those terms were. "I have warned Hamas about the
consequences of not accepting," Trump wrote. "This is my last warning, there
will not be another one!" Trump has previously issued similar such ultimatums to
Hamas. There was no immediate Israeli confirmation of his claim, which came as
preparations for the Israeli military's advance on Gaza City move ahead and
negotiations remain at an impasse. The Israeli prime minister's office did not
respond to a request for comment. Hamas confirmed it "received through
intermediaries some ideas from the U.S." and said it "welcomed any initiative"
to end the war that involved the release of Israeli hostages in Gaza for
Palestinian prisoners in Israeli jails. But the group
said it had not dropped its insistence on a full-scale Israeli withdrawal from
Gaza and formation of an independent Palestinian committee to administer Gaza's
civil affairs — conditions that Israel has rejected in the past. It also gave no
indication it would disband its armed wing. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin
Netanyahu has insisted on Hamas' full disarmament as a condition for a
comprehensive ceasefire. The Hostages and Missing
Families Forum, a group representing many families of hostages, called on the
Israeli government to "declare its unequivocal support for the emerging
agreement."Netanyahu's plan to take control of Gaza City has outraged families
of hostages and their supporters, who fear the ground offensive will further
imperil the 20 out of 48 hostages in Gaza still thought to be alive. Defying
criticism at home and abroad, Netanyahu vowed at his Cabinet meeting earlier
Sunday to press ahead with the assault, saying he'd rather "a victory over our
enemies" than one "over anti-Israel propaganda."
Spain intensifies criticism of Israel, Israel
responds with travel bans
Associated Press/September 08/2025
Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez on Monday ratcheted up his criticism of
Israel's actions in the 23-month Israel-Hamas war, to which Israel responded by
banning two left-wing Spanish ministers from the country. Sánchez made the
comments while announcing a raft of measures he said his government was taking
to pressure Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's government to address
the humanitarian crisis caused by its military offensive in the Gaza Strip.
"This is not self-defense, it's not even an attack — it's the extermination of a
defenseless people. It is a violation of all humanitarian laws, and despite
that, the international community is failing to stop this tragedy," Sánchez
said. Besides formalizing an arms embargo, which the
Spanish government says has been de facto in effect since October 2023, Spain
will ban ships carrying fuel for Israel's armed forces from passing through
Spanish ports, and increase its humanitarian aid toward Gaza in 2026 to reach
150 million euros ($176 million), he said. The
measures would need to be approved in Parliament.
Other steps included a pledge to increase aid for the U.N. agency for
Palestinian refugees, known as UNRWA, and to impose an embargo on goods made in
Israeli settlements in the occupied Palestinian territories.
Additionally, anyone who directly participates in what Sánchez termed the
"genocide" in Gaza would not be allowed to enter Spanish territory, he said.
"We know that all these measures will not be enough to stop the invasion
or the war crimes, but we hope that they will serve to add pressure on Prime
Minister Netanyahu and his government to alleviate some of the suffering that
the Palestinian population is enduring," Sánchez said. In response, Israeli
Foreign Minister Gideon Saar said Sánchez was trying to divert attention from
the corruption scandals affecting his Socialist Party, and characterized the
Spanish government's actions as "antisemitic." Saar
said on X Israel had banned Spain's Labor Minister Yolanda Díaz and Youth
Minister Sira Rego from traveling to the country. Both belong to the
government's left-wing coalition partner Sumar. Saar said the ministers would be
prohibited from entering Israel because they had made statements calling Israel
a "genocidal state" and supported efforts to sanction or boycott Israel. Spain's
government has been an outspoken critic of Israel's war in Gaza, which began
after Hamas-led militants killed around 1,200 people, mostly civilians, on Oct.
7, 2023, and abducted 251 hostages. Israel's offensive has killed more than
64,000 Palestinians, according to the Gaza Health Ministry, which does not say
how many were civilians or combatants. Last year, Spain joined Norway and
Ireland to formally recognize a Palestinian state and was the first European
country to ask a U.N. court for permission to join South Africa's case accusing
Israel of genocide in Gaza.On Monday, Saar downplayed the effect the Spanish
government's actions would have on Israel. "If they want to hold or halt defense
connections with Israel," Saar told reporters, "who do you think will lose from
that? We don't need Spain to protect the land of Israel."
Iranian lawmaker reveals imminent agreement
between Araghchi and IAEA in Egypt
Asharq Al-Awsat/September 8, 2025
An Iranian parliamentarian revealed that Tehran is close to signing a
cooperation agreement with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) in
Egypt, warning Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi against ignoring the parliament's
law suspending cooperation with the agency. This came amid ongoing debate in the
Iranian parliament over a vote on a bill to withdraw from the Nuclear
Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT), in response to the European powers' move to
reactivate international sanctions on Iran.
MP Hossein Ali Haji Delighani issued a warning to nuclear negotiators, including
the foreign minister, saying that any agreement that bypasses parliament's
decisions "will be met with legal action." He referred to reports of a possible
visit by the foreign minister to Egypt, implicitly indicating that the
parliamentarians had been briefed on a draft of the potential agreement: "A text
was prepared that does not protect Iran's rights. We recently heard that during
this visit, a text was prepared that does not protect the rights of the Iranian
people. This text, for example, in Article 5, stipulates that Iran must inform
the agency of the current status of the bombed centers; This is inconsistent
with the rights of the Iranian people. He added, "In Clause 6, it is stated that
the agency's inspectors—who are in fact spies—must return to fill out
questionnaires, even at the sites they themselves bombed. They also asked us to
provide the exact address where the nuclear materials are stored, meaning that
if they haven't bombed these sites yet, they will be able to target them." The
representative added, "Unilateral privileges were granted to the other party in
Clauses 10 and 11 of this text. I warn Mr. Araghchi: if you act outside the
legal framework of the Council, in addition to being removed, you will be
referred to the judiciary. You have no right to compromise the rights of the
Iranian people in this manner." The representative criticized what he described
as "a violation of Iran's rights under the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty." He
pointed out that "the other party did not commit to training Iranian nuclear
personnel or providing equipment, but rather assassinated Iranian scientists and
bombed its nuclear facilities, despite Iran's membership in the treaty and its
commitment not to manufacture nuclear weapons." He added that parliamentary law
obliges the government to suspend cooperation with the IAEA until the security
of scientists and facilities is guaranteed, pointing to "ambiguity in the
position of the Atomic Energy Organization and the National Security Council
regarding the parliamentary law." For his part, MP Fadahesin Maleki, a member of
the parliament's National Security Committee, warned that activating the
snapback mechanism and the return of Security Council sanctions "will bring the
world into a sensitive phase," adding that Iran "will respond in kind from
multiple aspects and using different tools." Regarding possible scenarios,
Maleki stressed that "the reinstatement of UN sanctions will prompt Iran to take
countermeasures using multiple political and diplomatic tools." He indicated
that Iran's options for response include reconsidering its obligations under the
Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty. The MP stated that "the disruption of the
rules of the game that the Islamic Republic has does not serve the stability of
the region." He added in a statement to the state-run ISNA news agency: "It is
true that withdrawing from the Non-Proliferation Treaty is a difficult step and
creates significant pressure, but its repercussions will not only affect Iran,
but will also extend to countries in the region."
Conservative MP Hassan Ali Akhlaqi Amiri said, "The people know that the
snapback mechanism is a worn-out scarecrow that cannot undermine their strong
will." He added, "The National Security Council must realize that withdrawing
from the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) is the least effective way to
confront this European threat. Enemies must be dealt with based on reciprocity
and knowledge of their nature." The parliamentary responses came as Foreign
Ministry spokesman Esmail Baghaei said, "Withdrawing from the NPT is a matter
that must be decided by the regime (government institutions)." Araghchi told
reporters Sunday evening that "the consequences of the snapback mechanism should
not be exaggerated in the eyes of the people." He added, "The government is
making efforts to prevent its activation." He explained that "Iranian foreign
policy faces challenges..., but it seeks to defend Iran's interests and improve
its relations with neighboring countries." He added, "Currently, relations with
neighboring countries are at their best, and this has a significant impact on
securing the country's needs and meeting its requirements." At the same time, he
stressed the continuation of negotiations with European countries and the
International Atomic Energy Agency, expressing his readiness to negotiate with
the United States if it is willing, based on mutual respect.
However, he warned of serious political repercussions if the snapback mechanism
is activated, while downplaying its economic impact compared to the US sanctions
imposed on Tehran. He said, "The snapback mechanism is not a positive thing. If
it is activated and Security Council sanctions are reinstated, there will be
significant political repercussions. Returning to Chapter VII of the UN Charter
and its associated restrictions is dangerous and should not be underestimated."
He called on the media and analysts "not to exaggerate the crisis or stir up
public anxiety," explaining that activating the mechanism "does not mean the
beginning of war, and the two issues are completely different."
Neither War nor Peace
Araghchi's statements came on the sidelines of a meeting with Iranian Supreme
Leader Ali Khamenei for members of the government, where he warned of the danger
of a continued state of "no war, no peace." The government revealed its
intention to develop and implement "strategic plans" within two weeks, in
response to his recommendations to improve living and economic conditions.
Khamenei called on the Iranian president and his team to continue the policy of
"internal consensus" and work to improve living and economic conditions by
controlling the market, containing price increases, and boosting domestic
production. He emphasized the need to secure winter gas reserves and increase
oil production. Khamenei warned that the state of "neither war nor peace"
hinders progress and creates uncertainty, emphasizing the importance of
fostering the spirit of work, innovation, and national will to overcome
challenges. He considered the current circumstances an opportunity to build
consensus among the three branches of government, calling for seizing this
opportunity and moving forward despite some obstacles. Khamenei called on
officials to enhance their media presence by conveying "an image of national
strength and capabilities," and not focusing solely on weaknesses. He warned
against spreading a discourse of impotence and frustration, emphasizing the
importance of avoiding messages that harm the country. Khamenei expressed his
satisfaction with the Iranian president's visit to Beijing last week. Khamenei's
speech came as Pezeshkian's government is under pressure from the
conservative-majority parliament regarding the nuclear talks. Conservative
lawmakers are insisting on passing a bill obligating the government to withdraw
from the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT), in response to European powers
activating the snapback mechanism for a rapid return to UN sanctions. The
Iranian government announced today that within two weeks, strategic programs and
mechanisms will be developed to implement the Supreme Leader's directives on
improving people's livelihoods, with a focus on price stabilization and the
provision of basic commodities, according to the state-run ISNA news agency.
Government spokeswoman Fatemeh Mohajerani said today, "The government emphasizes
fully utilizing the capacity to build consensus to resolve issues in cooperation
with other branches," noting that "achieving this goal requires unifying
priorities in addressing issues among the three branches of government."
IAEA's Grossi to Iran: Not Much Time Left in
Talks on Inspections
Asharq Al Awsat/September 08/025
Time is running out in talks between the UN nuclear watchdog and Iran on how to
fully resume inspections in the Islamic Republic, the watchdog's chief Rafael
Grossi said on Monday, adding that he hoped the discussions would conclude
within days.
The International Atomic Energy Agency has not had access to Iran's key nuclear
facilities since the United States and Israel bombed them in June. Iran passed a
law after the attacks suspending cooperation with the IAEA and saying any
inspections had to be approved by its Supreme National Security Council. The
IAEA and Iran are now in talks on the "modalities" of a full resumption of
inspections, though Grossi says that does not alter Iran's duty to allow
verification measures such as inspections as a party to the nuclear
Non-Proliferation Treaty, Reuters reported. "There is still time, but not much.
Always enough when there is good faith and a clear sense of responsibility,"
Grossi said in a statement to a quarterly meeting of the IAEA's 35-nation Board
of Governors. "Progress has been made. It is my sincere hope that within the
next few days it will be possible to come to a successful conclusion of these
discussions in order to facilitate the resumption, the full resumption, of our
indispensable work with Iran," he added. Their talks are taking place against
the backdrop of Europe's top three powers having initiated a 30-day process on
Aug. 28 to re-impose sanctions on Iran. The curbs were lifted under a 2015
nuclear deal between Iran and major powers that unravelled after President
Donald Trump pulled the US out of it in 2018. Those three powers - France,
Britain and Germany, known as the E3 - have said they will go ahead with
re-imposing sanctions under the so-called "snapback" process unless IAEA
inspections fully resume in Iran, and Tehran accounts for its large stock of
near-weapons-grade uranium and resumes nuclear talks with the United States. "I
am confident that with these practical steps (on inspections) in place, other
important diplomatic consultations and processes will find a more promising
ground upon which to advance towards positive outcomes," Grossi said, apparently
referring to broader diplomacy such as Iran-E3 discussions. In Tehran, Iran's
foreign ministry said the talks with the IAEA were "positive" but had not yet
reached a conclusion and that no specific time frame was determined for the next
round of talks. "On Saturday, the third round of negotiations ended and their
results are currently being reviewed in Tehran by relevant authorities and we
will announce the next steps when this review is finalised," ministry
spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei told a weekly press conference on Monday.
Egypt-Iran Contacts... Attempts to Contain the
"Nuclear Clash"
Abdel-Ati Discussed "De-Escalation" with Araghchi and Grossi
Cairo: Mohamed MahmoudظAsharq Al Awsat/September 08/025
Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdel-Ati will receive his Iranian counterpart,
Abbas Araghchi, and Director General of the International Atomic Energy Agency
(IAEA), Rafael Grossi, tomorrow, Tuesday, amid efforts to resume international
monitoring of Iran's nuclear program. Abdel-Ati spoke with Araghchi on Monday,
as part of a series of recent contacts between the two parties, according to a
statement from the Egyptian Foreign Ministry. Egypt is discussing the nuclear
crisis with Iran and the IAEA for the 11th time in about three months, in a
discussion that Cairo has not described as stemming from mediation, but rather
aims to prevent any "new clash" between Iran on the one hand, and the United
States, Israel, and the West on the other, once again regarding the nuclear
issue. These contacts, which Cairo is conducting at a constant and sometimes
successive pace, are seen by experts who spoke to Asharq Al-Awsat as part of a
rapprochement between viewpoints within Egypt's goals of calming tensions in the
region and reaching realistic solutions. They will therefore continue, and they
are expected to succeed in pushing the two sides to reach understandings that
prevent renewed military or nuclear conflict.
Consecutive Talks
Following the end of the Israeli-Iranian escalation, from June 24 to September
8, Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdel Aty held at least eight contacts with
his Iranian counterpart, Abbas Araqchi, and the Director General of the
International Atomic Energy Agency, Rafael Grossi, in addition to two meetings
with them outside Cairo, according to Asharq Al-Awsat's review of Egyptian
Foreign Ministry statements during that period. The phone calls took place on
August 6, 13, and 30, July 5, 15, and 18, and June 24 and 30. Abdel Aty also met
with Grossi on September 2 at the Bled Forum in Slovenia, and with Araghchi in
Jeddah on August 25. The Egyptian Foreign Ministry also announced on Monday
(September 8) that it had conducted "a series of similar calls with Araghchi and
Grossi recently," without specifying their number. According to the same source,
the Egyptian calls, in the latest statement issued on Monday, come within the
framework of "the directives of Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi to
support efforts to de-escalate the situation in the region, with the aim of
creating conditions for the resumption of negotiations between Iran and the
International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) on the Iranian nuclear issue." The
contacts aim to "bring the views of the various concerned parties closer
together, with the goal of reaching a sustainable settlement that takes into
account the interests of all parties, contributes to de-escalation, restores
confidence, and creates a supportive climate for achieving regional security and
stability." These contacts also come within the framework of "intensive efforts
by Egypt to reach understandings that contribute to converging the views of
Iran, the United States, and the three European countries (Britain, France, and
Germany), with the aim of providing an opportunity for diplomatic solutions,
dialogue, and a return to the negotiating table, and reaching a consensual
settlement regarding the Iranian nuclear issue, preventing escalation, and
supporting peace and security at the regional and international levels,"
according to the Egyptian statement. Statements from the Egyptian Foreign
Ministry, monitored by Asharq Al-Awsat during the same period, focused on these
same reasons with every contact that took place since the end of the
Israeli-Iranian military escalation last June, without describing these efforts
as "mediation." Easing Tensions
Former Foreign Minister and Chairman of the Egyptian Council for Foreign
Affairs, Ambassador Mohamed El-Orabi, believes that Egyptian contacts will
continue with the aim of easing tensions in the region and reaching realistic
solutions that satisfy both parties. He points out that these efforts are part
of a rapprochement between viewpoints, not mediation. Dr. Mohamed Mohsen Abu
El-Nour, Chairman of the Arab Forum for Iranian Policy Analysis, told Asharq
Al-Awsat that Egypt has been playing a major, pivotal role for months in calming
the situation between Iran and the international community, as part of the
search for a regional de-escalation that would positively impact all parties in
the region. He added that these efforts will continue at the same pace. These
contacts come amid a notable momentum in relations between the two countries,
which witnessed a notable breakthrough with Abbas Araghchi's visit to Cairo last
June (before the Israeli-Iranian escalation). During the escalation between
Israel and Iran last June, Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi held a phone
call with his Iranian counterpart, Masoud Pezeshkian, during which he expressed
"Egypt's complete rejection of the ongoing Israeli escalation against Iran, as
it poses a threat to the security and stability of the Middle East at a critical
time when the region is witnessing multiple and escalating crises." Pezeshkian
emphasized "the importance Egypt attaches to an immediate ceasefire, allowing
for the resumption of negotiations with the aim of reaching a sustainable,
peaceful solution to this crisis." El-Arabi asserts that Egyptian efforts have
not ceased since the war and will not stop, especially since diplomacy is
expected to play a role in easing tensions in the region in the coming period.
He believes that Israel will not return to targeting Iran in the near future in
light of the current de-escalation efforts. Abu al-Nour believes that Egypt was
keen to intensify its efforts early after the outbreak of the war, and that, in
return, the parties to the crisis trust it as an honest mediator in resolving
disputes through diplomatic means and reaching satisfactory solutions without
sliding into a new war.
French Parliament Votes to Oust Prime Minister, Deepening
Political Crisis
Asharq Al Awsat/September 08/2025
France's parliament voted on Monday to bring down the government over its plans
to tame the ballooning national debt, deepening a political crisis and handing
President Emmanuel Macron the task of finding a fifth prime minister in less
than two years. Francois Bayrou, 74, took office as prime minister only nine
months ago. He must now tender his resignation, leaving Macron to face a
narrowing set of options, with financial markets signaling worry at France's
political and fiscal crisis. Bayrou had called the vote unexpectedly to try to
win parliamentary support for his strategy to lower a deficit that stands at
nearly double the European Union's 3% ceiling and to start tackling a debt pile
equivalent to 114% of GDP. But opposition parties were in little mood to rally
behind his planned savings of 44 billion euros ($51.51 billion) in next year's
budget, with an election for Macron's successor looming in 2027. Macron could
now nominate a politician from his own centrist minority ruling group or from
the ranks of conservatives as the next premier, but that would mean doubling
down on a strategy that has failed to yield a stable alliance. He could tack to
the left and nominate a moderate socialist or choose a technocrat. No scenario
would be likely to hand the next government a parliamentary majority. It was
inevitable that the need to form a new government would result in a dilution of
the deficit reduction plan, Finance Minister Eric Lombard said before the vote.
Macron may eventually decide the only path out of the crisis lies in calling a
snap election, but he has so far resisted calls from the far-right National
Rally and hard-left France Unbowed to dissolve parliament a second time.
FISCAL MESS
The next government's most pressing task will be to pass a budget - the same
challenge Bayrou faced when he took office. "You have the power to bring down
the government, but you do not have the power to erase reality," Bayrou told
lawmakers before the confidence vote. "Reality will remain relentless: expenses
will continue to rise, and the burden of debt, already unbearable, will grow
heavier and more costly," he said. France's "very survival is at stake," he
said. France's EU peers will be watching closely. France holds the highest
deficit as a percentage of GDP in the euro zone - the bloc using the EU's single
currency. It pays more to service its debt than Spain and spreads against
benchmark German 10-year bonds are at their highest level in four months. Fitch,
often seen as a first mover among rating agencies, reviews its AA- rating with a
negative outlook on September 12. Moody's and S&P Global, which have equivalent
ratings, follow in October and November. A downgrade would hamper France's
ability to raise money at low interest rates from investors, potentially
deepening its debt problems. A lengthy period of political and fiscal
uncertainty risks undermining Macron's influence in Europe at a time when the
United States is talking tough on trade and security, and war is raging in
Ukraine on Europe's eastern flank. Macron and political figures from centrist
and conservative parties deem that a snap election would not solve the crisis
and that talks with the Socialists should be pursued, two sources familiar with
Macron's thinking said. The Socialists have offered a counter-budget that would
impose a tax of at least 2% on personal wealth greater than 100 million euros
and generate savings of 22 billion euros - a proposal that would be tough to
marry with the pro-business reform agenda of Macron's presidency. Discontent may
also start brewing on the streets. A grassroots protest movement called
"Bloquons Tout" ("Let's Block Everything") is calling for nationwide disruption
on Wednesday. Trade unions are plotting walkouts the week after. "France is
done," said Mohamed, 80, a retired hospital worker who sells produce on the
Aligre market in Paris.
The Latest English LCCC analysis &
editorials from miscellaneous sources
on September 08-09/2025
Norway extends its Israel divestment campaign to the
United States
Ben Cohen/Jewish News Syndicate/September 08/2025
Anti-Zionist ideology has crystallized as the dominant form of antisemitism in
this century, with labor unions engaging it, and in some cases, propelling it.
One of the better-known facts about Norway is that its sovereign wealth fund,
fattened by decades of oil revenue, is the largest and wealthiest in the world.
Valued at nearly $2 trillion, the fund is arguably the most powerful instrument
that Norway has when it comes to influencing international trade policy.
In that sense, Norway’s election on Sept. 8 may turn out to be a watershed
moment for the fund. And depending on what the incoming government does, it
could well put the Scandinavian nation on a collision course with the United
States as Oslo seeks to further sanction Israel—and those, including Americans,
who trade with Israel—over what current Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre of the
Labour Party has called its “barbaric” actions in Gaza.
While Labour commanded a comfortable lead in the opinion polls on the eve of the
election, Støre will still have to form a coalition with smaller parties if he
is to obtain the 85 parliamentary seats needed to govern. With the collapse this
year of its coalition with the moderate Centre Party, the obvious candidates are
situated to the left of Labour, including the Socialist Left Party (SV), the
communist Red Party (R) and the Green Party (MDG). Knowing that it can extract a
high price for joining a coalition government, the SV has asserted a
non-negotiable demand for the sovereign wealth fund to divest its equity in a
range of international companies—Israeli, of course, but also, according to the
Norwegian news outlet Aftenposten, American, British, German and Taiwanese.
So far, eight U.S. companies have been selected for divestment that would amount
to around $13 billion. Among those on the list is the construction equipment
firm Caterpillar, long a bête noire of the pro-Hamas solidarity movement for its
supply of bulldozers and similar vehicles to Israel, which the fund already
divested from last week. It includes as well the Wisconsin-based defense
manufacturer Oshkosh Corporation; aerospace and defense manufacturer RTX; travel
and hospitality companies Airbnb, Booking Holdings, Expedia and TripAdvisor; and
communications giant Motorola.
That list will doubtless be expanded as Norwegian politics become further
immersed in the anti-Zionist ideology that has crystallized as the dominant form
of antisemitism in this century. In some ways, Norway echoes similar trends
observed elsewhere in Europe, where Israel’s war to defeat Hamas in Gaza has
become a domestic issue with practical implications for electoral candidates who
choose the “wrong” side. But in others, Norway is distinct.
“This is a story that started with the collapse of the Oslo process,” Torkel
Brekke, a professor at Oslo Metropolitan University and a scholar of
contemporary antisemitism, told me. During the 1990s, Norwegian mediators played
a central role in securing a peace agreement between Israel and the PLO that
resulted in the creation of the Palestinian Authority, but which disintegrated
when the late PLO leader Yasser Arafat launched the Second Palestinian Intifada
in 2000. As the conflict has intensified over the last 25 years, Norway—perhaps
wounded by the ignominious end of a peace agreement with which it was so closely
identified—has placed exclusive blame on Israel for that outcome.
As Brekke explained, the left and its associated labor movement have been in the
driving seat here. “It really comes from the Confederation of Labour Unions
(LO),” he said. “The peculiar thing to know about Norway is that the LO to some
extent controls the Labour Party. They have seats on its executive, and they
coordinate daily on foreign policy.”
More than anything else, the LO wants to coordinate on targeting Israel. Brekke
recounted that he had spoken with labor movement officials in neighboring Sweden
and Denmark, who expressed concern with what one called the LO’s “obsession”
with the issue. “It’s reached a point now where boycott and divestment are at
the top of the LO’s agenda, and it is pushing that agenda into the Labour
Party,” Brekke said. “Anti-Zionism is driving the boycott campaign.”
Since the Hamas pogrom in Israel on Oct. 7, 2023, Norway has divested from more
than 20 Israeli companies and banks, including telecom group Bezeq, Bank Leumi
and Bank Hapoalim. In tandem with these government-directed moves, antisemitism
has surged in Norway. The country’s tiny Jewish community of 1,500 has endured
threats and vandalism, with 69% of Norwegian Jews reporting incidents impacting
them personally.
Norway’s interventions are also becoming more vindictive. To give the most
recent example, Israel’s national soccer team is due to play Norway in a World
Cup qualifier on Oct. 11; the Norwegian authorities have told the Israelis that
they may arrive only one day before the match, while proceeds from ticket sales
will go to Palestinian organizations. “It would be nice if some of the money
went toward condemning the Oct. 7 massacre or toward the release of 50
hostages,” the Israel Football Association stated in response. “Please ensure
the funds are not transferred to terrorist organizations or for illegitimate
purposes.”The question remains as to whether Norway—by casting its divestment
net wider than just Israel—will have bitten off more than it can chew. The U.S.
State Department has already expressed its disgust at the divestment from
Caterpillar, while Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) has warned that Washington may
respond with tariffs and visa revocations. With its
vast wealth and miniscule population of under 6 million, Norway may feel that it
has the right to morally police the world. But that hubris is no match for
America’s clout. By targeting companies that employ thousands of American
workers, Oslo has hit a raw nerve.Should the Caterpillar decision be followed by
a wider divestment campaign aimed at the hundreds of American companies that
conduct daily business with Israel and even locate some of their infrastructure
there, Norway can expect to be punished with heavy tariffs. Washington also
can—and should—reverse the visa-free travel Norwegian citizens enjoy under the
U.S. government’s 90-day stay visa waiver scheme. Additionally, America can
sanction individual Norwegian politicians who push antisemitism and promote
Hamas terrorism, as it has already done with Francesca Albanese, the U.N.’s
special rapporteur for Palestinian rights. Nearly 20
years ago, best-selling Norwegian children’s author Jostein Gaarder penned a
viciously antisemitic article defaming Judaism as an inherently violent religion
and denying the State of Israel’s right to exist. Those sentiments have now
infected large swathes of the country’s governing class. The time for patient
discussions is over. If Norway really wants to take on the United States as well
as Israel, it might quickly rue the day it did so.
*Ben Cohen is a senior analyst with the Foundation for the Defense of
Democracies (FDD) and director of FDD’s rapid response outreach, specializing in
global antisemitism, anti-Zionism and Middle East/European Union relations.
https://www.jns.org/norway-extends-its-israel-divestment-campaign-to-the-united-states/
Profiles of militias in newly formed Druze national guard
in Suwayda, Syria
Ahmad Sharawi/FDD's Long War Journal/September 08/2025
https://www.longwarjournal.org/archives/2025/09/profiles-of-militias-in-newly-formed-druze-national-guard-in-suwayda-syria.php
On August 23, armed factions in the Suwayda province, Syria announced the
formation of a national guard under the leadership of the Druze spiritual leader
Hikmat al Hijri, the most prominent voice opposing former Al Qaeda and Hayat
Tahrir al Sham leader Ahmad al-Sharaa’s new government.
In an official statement, the militia stated that it is “adherent to all the
decisions made by the leader and the Sheikh Abu Salman Hikmat al Hijri and
considering him the legal representative of the Druze community in [Jabal
Druze].” The statement added that the national guard is considered the “official
military institution that represents the Druze and that they’re ready to
cooperate with all auxiliary forces.”
Hijri is the most vocal and determined opponent of Sharaa’s rule, and he was the
first to firmly reject Syrian government control over Suwayda. In April, he
sharply condemned the new government, calling it a collection of “terrorist
factions” and declaring its hold over Damascus to be “unacceptable both
domestically and internationally.” Hijri has repeatedly described the government
as an “extremist group wanted by international justice.”
The announcement came after protests erupted on August 18, when hundreds of
Druze demonstrated in the city of Suwayda—where they make up the majority—with
many protestors calling for independence from the central government in
Damascus. It was the most significant protest since July, when clashes between
Arab Bedouin tribes, Syrian government forces, and Druze militants in the area
left more than a thousand people dead.
Protesters carried signs with slogans such as, “The right of self-determination
is a holy right for Suwayda,” “We demand the opening of a humanitarian
corridor,” and “Remove the general security service [Syrian Interior Ministry]
from our villages.” One woman who addressed the crowd called for “complete
independence,” stressing that “we [Druze] do not want self-administration or
federal rule, we want full, complete independence.”
Tensions in Suwayda spurred a number of Druze militias in the area to
consolidate into an organized military force under the national guard. While
some factions led by individuals like Layth al Balous, the leader of the “Karama
guesthouse” faction, and Suleiman Abdul Baqi, the leader of the “Ahrar Jabal al
Arab” faction, have refused calls to create a unified military structure in
Suwayda, most Druze groups either joined or signaled their intent to integrate
into the national guard.
Below are some of the profiles of the militias that have been incorporated into
the national guard, detailing their size, leadership, and affiliation.
Affiliation: The movement was founded under the leadership of Wahid al Balous, a
Druze local leader who urged members of the community to avoid enlisting in the
Assad regime’s Syrian Arab Army after the civil war erupted. Balous was later
assassinated by the regime. In December 2024, it joined the southern offensive
that contributed to the fall of the Assad regime. The movement has been one of
the most prominent factions that has refused to hand over its weapons since the
Syrian Ministry of Defense launched disarmament efforts. The militia blocked
attempts to bring Ministry of Interior forces into Suwayda, insisting that
authority should remain in the hands of the province’s own people
Affiliation: Liwa al Jabal was founded by Mirhaj al Jaramani, who previously
served within the ranks of the “National Defense Forces,” a paramilitary group
loyal to the Assad regime from 2011 until 2023. Later, Jaramani took part in the
popular protest movement in Suwayda that demanded the overthrow of Assad and the
expulsion of Iran’s militias from Syria. Following the fall of the Assad regime,
the current leader of the Shakib Azzam said that his faction’s decision to join
the new state is dependent on “the government succeeding and moving in the right
direction.” Azzam added that if the government failed, then his faction would
“not hesitate to fight against it.”
Affiliation: Originally formed as the Interim Military Council after the fall of
Bashar al Assad in December 2024, the Suwayda Military Council (SMC) emerged to
counter growing security threats following the withdrawal of the Assad era’s
Syrian Army from the region. SMC is composed of former Assad regime officers and
is affiliated with Hikmat al Hijri. It has also signaled its intent to join the
national guard but has yet to officially incorporate into the body.
Size: ~300Affiliation: Al Tawhid Shield is an armed faction responsible for
protecting Druze Spiritual Leader Hikmat al Hijri and providing security to his
residence in Qanawat.
Affiliation: Saraya al-Jabal is an armed faction affiliated with Druze spiritual
leader Hikmat al Hijri and opposed Ahmad al Sharaa’s government.
Affiliation: The militia is affiliated with the “Syrian Liwa Party” that is
based in Suwyada and headed by Malek Abu Kheir, a Druze who lives in France. The
Liwa party claims that it was founded to fight against the Islamic State and
terror groups supported by Iran. Since the downfall of the Assad regime, the
party has been the primary advocate for independence in Suwayda and separating
the province from the rest of Syria. Affiliation: The
militia announced its integration on August 24. The Bayraq Sulayman bin Dawud,
led by Majed Najem Abu Ras, also announced that it is part of Liwa 164. Abu Ras
had previously shared content expressing support for Israel. Liwa 164 is
composed of officers affiliated with the former Assad regime.
**Ahmad Sharawi is a research analyst at the
Foundation for Defense of Democracies focused on Iranian intervention in Arab
affairs and the levant.
The UN Is Leaving Its People Vulnerable To Kidnapping in
Yemen
Bridget Toomey/FDD/September 08/2025
The United Nations refuses to stand up to Houthi bullying in Yemen, and its
staff are paying the price.
The Houthis, a rebel group closely tied to Iran, launched raids on UN offices in
the Yemeni cities of Sanaa and Hodeidah beginning on August 31. As of September
3, 18 UN personnel have been kidnapped in a campaign targeting the World Food
Programme (WFP), the World Health Organization (WHO), and UNICEF. UN
Secretary-General Antonio Guterres condemned the arbitrary detentions. The UN
reported that the Houthis still controlled UNICEF and WFP offices on September
3.
The detentions — which the Houthis have called “arrests” — and raids have been
going on for years. In June 2024, the Houthis detained 11 UN personnel, in
addition to six employees of American and local non-governmental organizations
(NGOs). Without presenting evidence, the Houthis have accused at least some of
those taken of spying for Israel. In 2021, the Houthis arrested 20 Yemeni
employees of the former U.S. Embassy in Yemen. The United States expressed
concern for “dozens of current and former Yemeni staff of the U.S. government”
held by the group earlier this year. Washington designated the Houthis as a
Foreign Terrorist Organization in February.
Prior To Most Recent Kidnapping, Houthis Held Nearly Half of All UN Personnel
Detained Globally
On the “International Day of Solidarity With Detained and Missing Staff
Members,” which the UN marks on March 25, the UN resident and humanitarian
coordinator for Yemen said, “52 United Nations personnel remain in detention
globally, 23 of them held by the de facto authorities in Yemen.”
The United Nations suspended operations in Saada governorate, a northern
stronghold of the group, after the Houthis kidnapped eight UN personnel in
January 2025. Following these arrests, a WFP employee died in Houthi custody.
The WFP was slow to name those responsible for the January incident, referring
to “local authorities” in an initial statement, rather than calling out the
Houthis by name.
UN Inaction Following Houthi Abuses
Beyond an operational pause in Saada — which covers only a fraction of
Houthi-controlled territory — the UN has done little more than issue statements
in response to illegal detentions of humanitarian workers.
Similarly, the UN has failed to take lasting action over the rampant diversion
of aid in Houthi-controlled Yemen. The problem was so serious that the WFP
briefly paused aid distribution in Houthi-controlled territory in 2019, an
exceptionally rare measure for any UN agency. However, aid operations resumed
after 2 months without significant reform. In 2023, the Sanaa Center reported on
the persistent issue saying, “Aid workers indicate that in many cases,
assistance does not reach those most in need.”
Yemen’s internationally recognized government (IRG) alleges that the Houthis
have looted $10 billion worth of international aid. While this number is likely
inflated, the Houthis’ abuse of aid amounts to certainly hundreds of millions,
likely billions of dollars.
Donor Countries Should Pressure the UN To Reform
Despite repeated calls for reform, the UN has resisted any substantial overhaul
to its operations in Yemen. Donors should consider the organization to be out of
chances. It is time for donors to demand a thorough review of aid distribution
and security procedures, overseen by UN benefactors, of which the United States
is the most generous. If concerns over the kidnapping of its own personnel
aren’t enough to bring about change, perhaps a fear of losing funding will be.
As a first reform, the UN should relocate the headquarters of its agencies and
the main port of entry for aid to Aden, the IRG’s interim capital, as Yemeni
officials and experts have recommended. Removing facilities and personnel from
Houthi-controlled territory will make both individuals and aid more secure.
While a comprehensive plan for aid distribution and UN activity in the country
is in development, the UN should pause humanitarian activity in
Houthi-controlled areas entirely. While its people and operations are
vulnerable, it is impossible for the UN to do its job responsibly.
**Bridget Toomey is a research analyst at the Foundation for Defense of
Democracies (FDD), where she focuses on Iranian proxies, specifically Iraqi
militias and the Houthis. For more analysis from Bridget and FDD, please
subscribe HERE. Follow Bridget on X @BridgetKToomey. Follow FDD on X @FDD.
**FDD is a Washington, DC-based, nonpartisan research
institute focusing on national security and foreign policy.
The Decision, the Risks and the Advisor
Ghassan Charbel/Asharq Al Awsat/September 08/025
Returning to Beirut from a trip to Damascus, I recalled what I once heard,
“Damascus and Baghdad paid in recent decades the price of reckless decisions,
while Beirut paid the price of a lack of ability to take decisions.”
It has been 15 years since I last took this road, and I remember the
difficulties these capitals had to endure. Time is a master in changing fates.
Damascus has changed. We used to visit it before it started to drown in its own
blood. It was normal at the time for a visiting journalist to meet the man who
made the decisions. That person was President Bashar al-Assad and he ruled the
country with no other partner or aide. At the time, Assad was running Lebanon –
before Rafik Hariri’s assassination – and partnering with Iran in destabilizing
Iraq that was under US occupation following Saddam Hussein’s ouster in 2003.
The Syria I visited today was nothing short of exhausted. Countless victims, an
economy in ruin, fear over its division and fear of its remaining united. The
fate of every Arab is tied to Syria’s own. Its veins stretch across the region
and through these veins fire rages or stability reigns. I recalled a number of
instances in which dangerous decisions were taken in dangerous games.
Late Iraqi President Jalal Talabani once told me he was worried about Syria. He
went on and on praising the wisdom of Hafez al-Assad as a way to avoid directly
criticizing his son. He revealed that he had sent a message to Bashar through
his senior advisor Fakhri Karim. In it, he advised him to stop facilitating the
entry of extremists and “jihadists” into Iraq, because they may now be heading
to Iraq from Syria, but one day, they may return to where they came from. And
sure enough, Damascus would in a few years have a taste of what Baghdad
experienced. The developments proved that Bashar paid little heed to Talabani’s
advice.At the time, some believed that Bashar’s best course of action after the
US invasion of Iraq was speeding up internal reforms and mending his country’s
international ties, especially with the West. But he ended up heading in the
opposite direction. They believed that Bashar took a decision that Syria’s
composition could not support for long and that was joining Iran’s regional
agenda. The following years proved that Bashar’s
choice went against the sentiments of the majority of the Syrian people,
especially after he opted to confront the popular uprising with bloody
suppression. Soon after, the militias of the “Resistance Axis” flooded the
country to prop up his regime through an Iranian-Russian understanding.
How difficult it must have been for an advisor to not even dare to make Mr.
President aware of the dangers of his decisions. One day, I booked a meeting
with Bashar. I arrived a day earlier and decided to pay a courtesy visit to then
Foreign Minister Walid al-Muallem. We discussed Syria’s ties with the Arab world
and I told him that the president did not need to escalate against Arab
countries that were always generous with their support.
Muallem replied: “You are meeting him tomorrow, so why don’t you tell him
that yourself?” I told him: “I am a journalist. I have questions and don’t hand
out messages or advice. Why don’t you bring up the issue yourself since you are
the foreign minister?” Muallem became flustered; he knew the walls had ears. In
almost a whisper, he told me: “You can tell him that, but I cannot.” That was a
very dangerous statement. Was he incapable of giving out a piece of advice
because he did not come from the same community as the president?
Dr. Nadim al-Yassine was the chief of protocol at the Iraqi presidency
during the invasion of Kuwait. Following that period, he moved to Amman with his
memories and without abandoning his admiration of Mr. President Saddam Hussein.
I paid him a visit once to discuss his time working for Saddam. He made
statements similar to Muallem’s. Yassine did not have the right to give advice;
he didn’t even dare.
But he was friends with Tarik Aziz, deputy prime minister, foreign minister and
member of the Revolutionary Command Council and the Regional Command of the
Iraqi Branch of the Baath Party. Yassine recalled how he had dinner with Aziz
after the latter returned from a meeting of the Regional Command during which
the decision to annex Kuwait was taken. Aziz confided that he was very worried
about the decision and the dangers it would create. He said he tried to bring
them up at the meeting, but the attendees glared at him as though he were a
traitor. They quickly backed the decision with Saddam in attendance.
Another decision whose dimensions and fallout Saddam would not be able to
foresee. He allowed then chief of intelligence Farouk Hijazi to carry out a
risky mission. He sent him to Sudan to meet a man called Osama bin Laden.
Sudanese Islamist leader Dr. Hassan al-Turabi played a decisive role in
convincing the al-Qaeda leader to meet Saddam’s envoy. They met for three hours
but failed in reaching an understanding as Saddam and bin Laden harbored far
different views that their shared enmity of the US could not overcome.
The visit did, however, lead to accusations that Saddam was collaborating with
al-Qaeda. It was the same accusations that George W. Bush used to justify the
invasion of Iraq. This is what happens when Mr. President refuses to involve
advisors in decision-making or when advisors dare not anger Mr. President,
fearing his terrible rage.Our countries now lie in ruin because of reckless
decisions. There is no room for advisors when Mr. President is in power. There
can only be room for officials who applaud his moves. The capitals are weary and
need decades to erase the outcomes of the reckless decisions.
The suffering in Beirut is different, however. It has never known a president
who is a leader. The Lebanese state has become broken and the powerful share
decision-making, playing the most dangerous games and leading the country to
ruin.
As I made my way back from Damascus, a constant humming and buzzing took me out
of my memories. It was the humiliating and provocative sound of an Israeli drone
that breaches skies in blatant violation of international laws. The drone hovers
and observes in search of a victim. The drone now flies over the route that was
used by Qassem Soleimani and rocket shipments. How times have changed.
Slected X
tweets
For September 07/2025
Vice President JD Vance
https://x.com/i/status/1964784963049640284
Vice President Vance on his gratitude for God and the sacrifices his Mamaw made
for him:
“I wasn’t supposed to be here. I’m here by the grace of God and a lot of really
good relatives, people who stuck by me.”
Rami Zein Eddin
https://x.com/i/status/1964752961319612501
In 2015, while serving as the
leader of Jabhat al-Nusra, al.Qaeda’s affiliate in Syria, Abu Mohammad al-Jolani
stated in an interview with Al Jazeera that he considered the Druze faith
“deviant.” He said that he had dispatched preachers to the Druze in order to
“correct their creed” and to remove what he described as polytheistic shrines
and graves.
Emmanuel Macron
France strongly condemns the terrorist attack that has just occurred in East
Jerusalem.
I extend my deepest condolences to the families of the victims and to the entire
Israeli people. The spiral of violence must come to an end. Only a political
solution will bring back peace and stability for all in the region.
Dany A. Khalek
@DanyKalek
·صباح العمل والنضال
إخواني وأخواتي،
سيكون للإرهابي أحمد الشرع كلمة في الجمعية العامة للأمم المتحدة خلال هذا الشهر،
لذا.
كتبنا رسالة إلى الأمم المتحدة نكشف فيها حقيقة أحمد الشرع ونظامه الدموي.
دورنا الآن أن ننشرها على حساباتنا لتصل أصواتنا إلى العالم. شاركوا الرسالة… لا
تدعوا الإرهاب يجمّل نفسه أمام المنابر الدولية.
الرسالة باللغة الإنكليزية
يمكنكم اضافة ما ترونه مناسباً من صور وفيديوهات عن جرائم نظام الشرع.
ما عليك سوى قص ولصق الرسالة على حسابك.
Letter to the United Nations
To the Members of the United Nations General Assembly,
As your halls prepare to host a speech by the so-called “Syrian President” Ahmad
Al-Shar’a, we must remind you of the reality behind this man who seeks to
present himself as a legitimate leader before the international community.
This president did not emerge from democracy or the will of the people. He came
from the womb of Al-Qaeda and ISIS, from the very culture of extremism and
terrorism that set Syria and the region ablaze. How can a criminal whose name is
tied to killing, kidnapping, and forced displacement be allowed to stand before
the free world to speak of peace and legitimacy?
Worse still, his government continues to hold hundreds of kidnapped women,
subjecting them to systematic torture and sexual violence. At the same time,
thousands of underage boys are being conscripted and pushed into the frontlines
of combat — child soldiers used as expendable tools in a war that is not theirs.
These atrocities are not isolated incidents but part of a deliberate campaign of
terror designed to break communities and silence dissent.
Alongside these crimes, we also witness organized acts of vandalism targeting
churches, the destruction of sacred sites, and the deliberate smashing of
ancient statues and historical artifacts. These actions are not only an assault
on religious freedom, but also an attempt to erase centuries of human heritage
and silence the cultural identity of entire communities.
Even more alarming is the policy of forced displacement based on sectarian and
religious identity. Entire communities have been uprooted from their homes
simply because of their faith or ethnicity, a systematic campaign of demographic
engineering that amounts to ethnic cleansing.
Accepting such a spectacle is an insult to the very principles upon which the
United Nations was founded: human rights, justice, and the protection of peoples
from tyranny. By granting him an international platform, the world risks
legitimizing both authoritarianism and terrorism.
We urge you to be the voice of the victims, not the stage for the oppressor. Let
us call things by their name: Ahmad Al-Shar’a is not the representative of the
Syrian people, but the façade of a bloody regime that thrives on chaos and
extremism.
We place this truth before you and trust in your conscience to prevent the UN
platform from being turned into yet another stage play that whitewashes the face
of terrorism.