English LCCC Newsbulletin For
Lebanese, Lebanese Related, Global News & Editorials
For September 12/2025
Compiled & Prepared by: Elias Bejjani
#elias_bejjani_news
The Bulletin's Link on the
lccc Site
https://eliasbejjaninews.com/aaaanewsfor2025/english.September12.25.htm
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Bible Quotations For today
No slave can serve two masters; for a slave will
either hate the one and love the other, or be devoted to the one and despise the
other. You cannot serve God and wealth
Luke 16/13-17: “No slave can serve two masters; for a slave will either hate the
one and love the other, or be devoted to the one and despise the other. You
cannot serve God and wealth.’The Pharisees, who were lovers of money, heard all
this, and they ridiculed him. So he said to them, ‘You are those who justify
yourselves in the sight of others; but God knows your hearts; for what is prized
by human beings is an abomination in the sight of God. ‘The law and the prophets
were in effect until John came; since then the good news of the kingdom of God
is proclaimed, and everyone tries to enter it by force. But it is easier for
heaven and earth to pass away, than for one stroke of a letter in the law to be
dropped.
Titles For The
Latest English LCCC Lebanese & Lebanese Related News & Editorials published
on September 11-12/2025
On the 24th Anniversary of 9/11: Remembering an Unprecedented Crime and a
Warning Bell for Humanity/Elias Bejjani/September 11/2025
Text & Video: The Fawning Over Qatar’s Ambassador in Lebanon and the Hollow Arab
Leaders’ Statements Condemning Israel’s Strike in Doha Against Hamas Terror
Chiefs/Elias Bejjani/September 10/2025
Get it through your heads: Hezbollah is an Iranian, jihadi, terrorist
organization/Elias Bejjani/September 08/2025
Video interview with Dr. Charles Chartouni from "Spot Shot" website
Link to a video interview from the "Al-Dawla" Youtube Plarform with engineer Ali
Sabri Hamadeh
The IDF eliminated a terrorist affiliated with the Iranian Imam Hussein Division
in southern Lebanon.
From the land of southern Lebanon, specifically in front of the Shiite village
of Khiam, which is still awaiting relief,
I conducted a field tour in southern Lebanon, specifically inside one of the
forward defensive positions in front of the village of Khiam.
Israeli army announces the death of Wassim Jabai... "Hezbollah member"
Syrian Interior Ministry: Hezbollah cell arrested... The latter denies it
Le Drian Meets Lebanese Leaders to Discuss Army Support and Reforms
Trump Administration Approves $14.2 Million Aid Package to Boost Lebanese Army
Against Hezbollah
Syria Announces Arrest of Hezbollah Cell in Damascus Countryside
Israeli Attacks on Bekaa and South Amid Surge in Aerial Activity
Israeli Strike Kills One Person in South Lebanon
Lebanese Cabinet Grants License to Elon Musk's Starlink
Second Group of Displaced Syrians Departs Lebanon
Lebanon-Syria: Update on Missing Persons and Detainees/Soumia Benmerzoug/This Is
Beirut/September 11/2025
Block Everything:’ Same Recipe, Same Poison in France and Lebanon/Marc Saikali/This
is Beirut/September 11/2025
Lebanese Potatoes: Tubers, Challenges and Export Hopes/Christiane Tager/This is
Beirut/September 11/2025
What Lebanon’s Hezbollah Disarmament Campaign Means for Gaza/Seth J. Frantzman/The
National Interest/September 11/2025
Lebanese president urges US, France to pressure Israel amid push to disarm
Hezbollah
From Escobar to Maduro: Hezbollah’s Imaginary Electoral Victories/Makram Rabah/Now
Lebanon/September 11/2025
Between Sheikh Naim Qassem and Ambassador Johnny Abdo/Jean Feghali/Nidaa Al
Watan/ September 12, 2025
Libya and the Mystery of the 'Disappeared Imam'/Dr. Jebril El-Abidi/Asharq Al
Awsat/September 11/2025
Minister Fadi Makki/Marwan Al-Amin/Nidaa Al-Watan/September 12, 2025
Defense Treaty in Congress: Lebanon Under the American Umbrella?/Alan Sarkis/Nidaa
Al Watan/September 12, 2025
Geagea of Jabal Amel/Asaad Bechara/Nidaa Al Watan/September 12, 2025
Judicial Disputes Rage the Judiciary and the Port Case: Oueidat Disputes Bitar/Farah
Mansour/Al-Modon/September 12, 2025
Titles For The Latest English LCCC
Miscellaneous Reports And News published on
September 11-12/2025
UN Security Council condemns Doha strikes,
reaffirms support for Qatari mediation efforts
Hamas says attack against leaders in Doha won’t change Gaza ceasefire demands
UN Security Council condemns Doha strikes, reaffirms support for Qatari
mediation efforts
“Have you seen a state attack negotiators like that?” Qatar PM slams Israeli
strike on Doha at UN
Doha to host emergency Arab-Islamic summit to discuss Israeli attack on Qatar
Hamas Leaders, who Were Target of Israeli Strike, Did not Attend Victims’
Funeral in Doha
There Are Wounded Hamas Leaders in Doha Strike, One in Critical Condition
UAE Strongly Condemns Netanyahu’s Hostile Statements Against Qatar
GCC Secretary-General Meets with Russian Foreign Minister
Palestinians face new dilemma as Israeli forces advance
Netanyahu Signs West Bank Settlement Expansion Plan
Five Takeaways on Netanyahu’s Moves after Qatar Strike
Grossi Confirms Deal for Access to Iranian Facilities, Araghchi Rules Out
Immediate Inspections
Yemen’s national museum damaged during Israeli airstrikes, death toll rises to
46
US issues new round of sanctions targeting Yemen’s Houthis
Titles For
The Latest English LCCC analysis &
editorials from miscellaneous sources
on September 11-12/2025
The art of lying about Israel ...Even slanders that are debunked leave a
stain/Clifford D. May/The Washington Times/September 11/2025
How the EU Pays Mainstream Media to Promote Its Narratives/Robert Williams/Gatestone
Institute./September 11, 2025
Israel targets Hamas leaders in Qatar/Joe Truzman/FDD's Long War
Journal./September 11, 2025
Israel’s Strike on Hamas in Qatar is a Game-Changer/Seth J. Frantzman/National
Security Journal./September 11, 2025
Sudan's Hidden War: Muslim Brotherhood's Grip on Army Threatens Regional
Stability, Global Trade/Anna Mahjar-Barducci/Gatestone Institute/September
11/2025
Trump’s Pivot to the Gulf/David SchenkerWashington Insitute/published on
September 09/2025
The Doha bombing: A new step towards liquidating the Palestinian cause/Ziad
Bahaa El-Din/Al-Masry Al-Youm/September 11, 2025
The Story of Epstein and Intelligence Officer Menashe/Ahmed Al-Sarraf/Al-Qabas/September
11, 2025
The Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam and the Conflict That Could Go in Any
Direction/Osman Mirghani/Asharq Al Awsat/September 11/2025
Slected X tweets For September 11/2025
The Latest English LCCC
Lebanese & Lebanese Related News & Editorials published on
September 11-12/2025
On the 24th Anniversary of 9/11: Remembering an Unprecedented Crime and a
Warning Bell for Humanity
Elias Bejjani/September 11/2025
https://eliasbejjaninews.com/2025/09/147179/
On this day in 2001, terrorism
struck at the heart of the United States when Al-Qaeda, led by the global
terrorist Osama bin Laden, carried out the deadliest terrorist attack in modern
history, killing nearly 3,000 innocent people from various nationalities and
religions, and spreading fear and destruction in New York and Washington. That
dark day was a grim reminder to the world of the danger of political Islam,
which uses religion as a cover to justify violence, murder, and hatred, turning
young people into destructive human bombs.
Political Islam: A Dual Cancer Threatening Humanity
Sunni Political Islam
Sunni political Islam is represented by the Muslim Brotherhood, founded in
Egypt, which became the ideological and organizational incubator for most
extremist terrorist groups in the Muslim world. From its womb emerged bloody
groups such as:
Al-Qaeda, which carried out the 9/11 attacks.
Jabhat al-Nusra in Syria, which carried out mass executions and imposed its
extremist ideology by force.
Boko Haram in Nigeria, which kidnapped hundreds of girls and massacred
civilians.
Hamas in Gaza, which hides behind the façade of “resistance” while practicing
bloody terrorism that targets civilians and drags the Palestinian people into
disasters and wars.
These groups use terrorism as a political tool to achieve their so-called
“caliphate project,” seeking to overthrow civil and democratic systems through
violence, assassinations, and coups, while spreading hate speech and opposing
values of pluralism, freedom, and human rights.
Shiite Political Islam
On the other side stands Shiite political Islam, the other face of the same
terrorist coin, led by the Iranian regime of the mullahs, which has turned
religion into a tool of regional domination under the slogan of “exporting the
revolution.” Tehran deploys a network of armed terrorist proxies across several
countries to destabilize and destroy national sovereignties, most notably:
Hezbollah in Lebanon, which turned South Lebanon into an Iranian military base,
dragged Lebanon into devastating wars, assassinated national and political
figures, and today controls the Lebanese state by force of arms and
intimidation.
The Houthi militias in Yemen, which ignited a bloody civil war and attacked
neighboring countries with Iranian missiles and drones.
Iran-backed militias in Iraq, which committed sectarian crimes and destroyed
Iraq’s state institutions.
Iranian militias in Syria and Gaza, which contributed to the slaughter of
hundreds of thousands of Syrians and supported tyrannical regimes.
Hezbollah is the most dangerous spearhead of this network, having become a
parallel army inside Lebanon that engages in kidnapping, smuggling, and drug
trafficking, and threatening regional and international peace on behalf of
Tehran.
Hamas and Hezbollah: A Dual Model of Cross-Border Terrorism
Hamas not only overthrew the democratic order in Gaza by force in 2007, but also
turned the Strip into a base for launching indiscriminate rockets at civilians,
using the population as human shields, and triggering repeated devastating wars.
Hezbollah imposed its hegemony over Lebanon’s political decision-making, dragged
the country into international isolation, carried out terrorist operations and
assassinations inside and outside Lebanon, and continues to threaten regional
security in the service of Iran’s agenda.
Neither of these groups seeks to liberate their people or achieve justice.
Instead, they serve foreign agendas of expansion and domination, leading their
own societies into death, destruction, poverty, and collapse.
The Need to Eliminate Political Islam in Its Sunni and Shiite Forms
Twenty-four years after the 9/11 attacks, it has become clear that defeating
global terrorism requires uprooting its ideological and organizational
foundations — namely, the elimination of political Islam in both of its forms:
Overthrowing the Iranian regime of the mullahs, which sponsors, funds, and
commands the most dangerous Shiite terrorist networks in the world.
Designating the Muslim Brotherhood and all its branches worldwide as terrorist
organizations, cutting off their funding sources, and shutting down their
propaganda institutions.
Dismantling Iran’s armed proxies militarily, foremost among them Hezbollah in
Lebanon, through decisive operations carried out by legitimate international and
regional forces, and arresting their leaders to bring them before international
justice.
In Summary, The world has paid a heavy price for decades of ignoring the danger
of political Islam, and today terrorism once again threatens global peace and
security. Protecting humanity’s shared future requires a firm international
alliance to put a final end to this dual cancer, and to close the chapter of
exploiting religion to justify violence, tyranny, and domination. Without such
action, the world will continue to relive the tragedies that began on that dark
September morning.
Text & Video: The Fawning Over
Qatar’s Ambassador in Lebanon and the Hollow Arab Leaders’ Statements Condemning
Israel’s Strike in Doha Against Hamas Terror Chiefs
Elias Bejjani/September 10/2025
https://eliasbejjaninews.com/2025/09/147141/
The gravest danger facing the Middle East today—its Arab states in general and
Lebanon in particular—is the deliberate, hypocritical blindness to the true
existential threat: the expansionist project of Iran’s clerical regime. Iran
spreads its influence directly through the Revolutionary Guard and Quds Force,
and indirectly through its sectarian proxy militias, in full coordination with
the Muslim Brotherhood network financed and run by Qatar and Erdoğan’s Turkey.
At the forefront of this deadly alliance stands Hamas, which turned Gaza into a
bloody prison and a jihadist base that threatens Palestinians and the entire
region.
The Stark Reality
*In Lebanon, Hezbollah hijacked the state and turned it into an Iranian colony.
*In Iraq, the Popular Mobilization Forces erased sovereignty and placed
strategic decisions in Tehran’s hands.
*In Syria, the Assad regime—long an enemy of Arabs and a loyal Iranian
tool—collapsed. Israel played a major role in striking and dismantling it both
militarily and politically.
*In Yemen, the Houthis blackmail the Gulf with missiles and drones, all in
service of Iran.
*In Gaza, Hamas surrendered the strip to Iran, turning it into a doomed
battlefield against Israel.
Yet despite this catastrophic landscape, some Arabs persist in portraying Israel
as their existential enemy. But Israel has not occupied their capitals nor
dismantled their institutions—while Iran has destroyed Lebanon and four Arab
republics and stripped them of sovereignty. The undeniable truth is this: the
existential threat comes from Iran and its proxies, alongside the Muslim
Brotherhood and Hamas—not from Israel.
Hamas: The Brotherhood’s Terror Arm
Hamas is nothing more than a branch of the Muslim Brotherhood, designated as a
terrorist organization in most Arab countries. Nevertheless, yesterday we
witnessed a hysterical wave of Arab statements condemning Israel’s strike on
Hamas leaders in Doha. These populist outbursts are hollow and meaningless,
nothing but a cheap show that recalls the empty propaganda of Egypt’s Ahmed
Said, Hamas’s Abu Ubaida, and Iraq’s “Comical Ali” Muhammad al-Sahhaf. Empty
words, devoid of substance, exposing the impotence of regimes that prefer
slogans to action.
Israel Is Not the Enemy—Iran Is
The Arab states issuing condemnations know very well that Israel is not their
existential threat. Their true enemy is Iran’s expansionist regime, which has
already swallowed five states: Lebanon, Syria (before Assad’s fall), Iraq,
Yemen, and Gaza through Hamas. Those who pretend otherwise are willfully blind
to the reality of Wilayat al-Faqih and its mercenaries tearing apart their
nations—with political Islam, funded and orchestrated by Qatar and Turkey, as
well political Sunni and Shiite extremism.
The Direct Consequence of Hamas’s Crimes
What the region suffers today is a direct result of Hamas’s terrorist assaults
on Israel. Whoever plants terror will reap only fire and destruction. Hamas
brought calamity upon Gaza, dragged the region into endless wars, and put the
entire Middle East on the global frontline.
Israel Lifted the Iranian Threat from You Arab countries
Those who issue shrill, emotional condemnations of Israel should remember: it
was Israel that dismantled Assad’s regime, their long-time enemy and Iran’s
Syrian proxy. It was Israel that struck Hezbollah in Lebanon, weakened Hamas in
Gaza, and contained the Iranian threat that terrifies their capitals night and
day. Instead of lamentations and hollow denunciations, they should admit Israel
is doing what they themselves were too weak—or too cowardly—to do.
Qatar and Turkey: Sponsors of Terror
The Doha operation once again exposed Qatar as the banker and sponsor of
Islamist terrorism, in league with Erdoğan’s Turkey, which deploys the Muslim
Brotherhood across dozens of Arab, European, and Latin American states. Those
who cheer Qatar and Erdoğan today are either blind, ignorant, or complicit in
the terror project.
Greater Israel: A Reality, Not a Scarecrow
As former minister Yusuf Salameh wrote today in a statement published on my web
site, “Greater Israel” is not the mythical land “from the Nile to the
Euphrates.” It is a sphere of influence extending from Lebanon through Syria,
Doha, and Yemen, all the way to Iran—made real by Israel’s unmatched military
and intelligence reach, freely crossing Arab skies without deterrence. The wise
see “Greater Israel” as an undeniable reality; the foolish repeat it as an empty
scarecrow.
The Right to Pursue Terrorists Anywhere
The pursuit of Hamas leaders, Boko Haram, al-Qaeda, Jabhat al-Nusra, Hezbollah,
the Iraqi PMF, all Jihadist organizations and Iran’s many terrorist armed
proxies is a legitimate right everywhere in the world. Terrorism knows no
borders, and every state has the right to uproot it wherever it exists.
Empty Statements and Hollow Heroics
Those who flattered Qatar’s ambassador in Lebanon, or who issued hollow
statements of “condemnation,” are nothing but hypocrites. Their words are
shallow and meaningless, ignoring the Iranian monster and political Islam that
threaten their very survival.
In the end, only by reining in the Iranian beast can Arab states understand
their inevitable enemy. If Arab rulers and peoples fought wars with the same
passion they write empty statements and poetic slogans, they would dominate the
world today. Instead, they remain blind, submissive, and trapped in cardboard
heroics and parroting rhetoric.
Elias Bejjani – Lebanese Diaspora Activist
Phoenicia@hotmail.com
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.
Video interview with Dr. Charles Chartouni from "Spot Shot"
website
The East on the brink of explosion: Charles Chartouni reveals the hidden game
from Gaza to Qatar, this country foiled the assassination plot
September 11/2025
https://eliasbejjaninews.com/2025/09/147165/
During this interview with the political writer and university professor Charles
Chartouni, he stated that the latest Israeli strike targeting Doha was not only
directed directly at Iran, but was also a veiled message to the "Hamas" movement
and Qatar, meaning that "the double game has ended."
Chartouni pointed out that "the Turkish leadership, through its intelligence
services, had previously informed Hamas of the assassination operation,"
considering that "Qatar is no longer considered a strategic ally for either the
United States or any major party, and it practices a policy of playing on the
ropes, which has begun to backfire on it."He added that "Qatar is trying to
appear innocent, but the reality is different, and strikes are now 'allowed'
within the framework of an open strategic game," noting that "Qatar's role has
been diminished, while Saudi Arabia is heading towards more clarity in its
regional positions."
Regarding the ongoing negotiations, Chartouni revealed that there is
communication between Israeli intelligence and Izz al-Din al-Haddad, pointing
out that the United States "will enter these negotiations in the next phase."
As for the future of the region, Chartouni suggested that "a peace treaty is
inevitable," pointing out that "the second option will be a direct dialogue
between Lebanon and Israel, which has begun to show its signs in the political
atmosphere in Washington."
Chartouni concluded by pointing out that "the escalation in the region will
begin from Gaza, to later extend to Lebanon," stressing that Qatar must review
many of its policies in light of regional and international developments.
Link to a video interview from the "Al-Dawla" Youtube Plarform with engineer Ali
Sabri Hamadeh
https://eliasbejjaninews.com/2025/09/147172/
Nasrallah has mortgaged the resistance to Assad's survival... and Hezbollah's
weapons are useless against Israel. How did the party's presence in the Bekaa,
in Baalbek and Hermel, begin? And how did it change the social fabric and bring
about profound changes?
And how can the Shiite community be saved from the Persian and military effects?
How far have the efforts to confine weapons to the state progressed, given the
party's adherence to its arsenal? What is the fate of reconstruction in the
south after all the destruction the region has witnessed? How did Nasrallah link
the fate of the resistance to the survival of the Assad regime? Has the party's
weapon truly succeeded in protecting Lebanon? Or has the experience proven its
limitations? These questions are answered by political activist Engineer Ali
Sabri Hamadeh, son of the former Speaker of the Parliament in Lebanon, Sabri
Hamadeh... in an interview conducted by the editor-in-chief of the "Janoubia"
website, Ali Al-Amin. An episode in partnership between the Adawla and Janoubia
platforms.
The IDF eliminated a terrorist affiliated with
the Iranian Imam Hussein Division in southern Lebanon.
Avichay Adraee/X Website/September 11, 2025
https://x.com/i/status/1966182870885585371
(Freely translated by the LCCC website from Arabic)
Earlier today (Thursday), the IDF attacked in the Ein Ba'al area, targeting
Wassim Sa'id Jabai, a member of the Imam Hussein Division and a member of the
Hezbollah terrorist organization. In his role, Jabai played a pivotal role in
directing operations and strengthening the division's capabilities. Jabai
promoted arms purchases, assisted in the implementation of plans to launch
rockets and missiles at Israel during Operation Northern Arrows, and led efforts
to rebuild the division after the operation. The Imam Hussein Division is an
Iranian militia used by the Quds Force to strengthen the so-called "resistance
axis" and carry out attacks against the IDF and Israeli civilians. During
Operation "Arrows of the North," the division participated in the fighting and
assisted Hezbollah in targeting IDF forces and Israeli civilians. It currently
operates from Lebanese territory in coordination with the terrorist Hezbollah.
The terrorist's activity constitutes a violation of the understandings between
Israel and Lebanon, according to which the IDF will continue to act to eliminate
any threat to the State of Israel.
From the land of southern Lebanon, specifically in front of
the Shiite village of Khiam, which is still awaiting relief,
Avichay Adraee/X Website/September 11, 2025
https://x.com/i/status/1966174642822943132
(Freely translated by the LCCC website from Arabic)
From the land of southern Lebanon, specifically in front of the Shiite village
of Khiam, which is still awaiting relief, I ask you, members of the Shiite
community: Does Hezbollah truly represent you? It destroyed your villages with
selfish decisions, and it is the primary obstacle to a dignified life that you
enjoy. For us, being Shiite does not mean being an agent of Iran or pledging
absolute loyalty to it, nor does it mean being dragged into an endless war with
Israel. Being a Shiite means having the right to live with dignity and peace in
your homeland, Lebanon.
I conducted a field tour in southern Lebanon, specifically
inside one of the forward defensive positions in front of the village of Khiam.
Avichay Adraee/X-Site/September 11, 2025
(Freely translated by the LCCC website from Arabic)
I conducted a field tour in southern Lebanon, specifically inside one of the
forward defensive positions in front of the village of Khiam.
I spoke with commanders and soldiers about the security situation on the
northern border, the changes that occurred after Operation Northern Arrows, and
the strategic operating concept we are adopting, according to which we do not
allow the growth of terrorist threats on our borders.
Israeli army announces the death of Wassim Jabai...
"Hezbollah member"
Riyadh - Al Arabiya.net/September 11/2025
(Freely translated by the LCCC website from Arabic)
The Israeli army spokesman announced today, Thursday, the killing of Wassim
Saeed Jabai in an Israeli airstrike in southern Lebanon, noting that he was a
member of the Lebanese Hezbollah. Avichay Adraee said via the X-Site platform
that the Israeli army attacked the Ein Baal area, targeting Wassim Saeed Jabai,
a Hezbollah operative, noting that Jabai played a pivotal role in directing
operations and strengthening the party's capabilities. The army spokesman also
said that Jabai promoted arms purchase deals and assisted in the implementation
of plans to launch rockets and missiles towards Israel. The Lebanese Ministry of
Health announced the death of one person in an Israeli drone strike targeting a
motorcycle on the Ain Baal-Al-Bazouriya road in the Tyre district of southern
Lebanon. Israeli forces also blew up at dawn "a building belonging to a school
for people with special needs in the Abu Tawil neighborhood on the outskirts of
Aita al-Shaab." Israeli raids also targeted the outskirts of the town of Ansar
in the south, and two Israeli raids targeted the areas of Janta and Qousaya in
the Bekaa Valley in the east of the country, while Al Arabiya/Al Hadath sources
reported that they targeted a Hezbollah center. Israel carries out almost daily
raids on the south and east of the country despite the ceasefire agreement that
began implementation on November 27, after a year-long war between Hezbollah and
Israel. Israeli forces remain present at five strategic points overlooking both
sides of the border. Last week, the Lebanese government approved an executive
plan developed by the army to begin restricting the possession of weapons to the
state, in implementation of the terms of the aforementioned agreement, which was
sponsored by the United States. Army personnel were also deployed in most of the
southern regions, with support from the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon
(UNIFIL). Hezbollah condemned the government decision, stressing that it would
not give up its weapons until the Israeli withdrawal and cessation of attacks,
as well as the release of Lebanese prisoners held by Israeli forces during the
war.
Syrian Interior Ministry: Hezbollah cell arrested... The
latter denies it
Asharq Al-Awsat/September 11, 2025
(Freely translated by the LCCC website from Arabic)
The Syrian Interior Ministry announced today, Thursday, the arrest of a cell
affiliated with the Lebanese Hezbollah group operating in the western Damascus
countryside. Hezbollah denied the arrest of any of its members in Syria.
Brigadier General Ahmed al-Dalati, commander of internal security in the
Damascus countryside, said in a statement posted by the ministry on its Facebook
page: “Specialized units, in cooperation with the General Intelligence Service,
after careful monitoring and intensive field work, were able to arrest a
terrorist cell affiliated with Hezbollah, which was operating in the towns of
Saasaa and Kanaker in the western Damascus countryside.” He added: “Initial
investigations revealed that the cell members received training in camps inside
Lebanese territory and were planning to carry out operations inside Syrian
territory that would threaten the security and stability of citizens.” He
pointed out that "during the operation, missile launchers, 19 Grad missiles,
anti-tank missiles, individual weapons and large quantities of various
ammunition were confiscated." He pointed out that "the file was referred to the
competent authorities to follow up on legal procedures, while the concerned
agencies continue to investigate the detainees to uncover all affiliations and
objectives." For its part, the Lebanese Hezbollah party denied on Thursday the
arrest of any of its members in Syria. The Hezbollah Media Relations Department
said in a press statement reported by the National News Agency: "We deny, in
full and in detail, the accusations made by the Syrian Interior Ministry
regarding the affiliation of members arrested in the western Damascus
countryside to Hezbollah." It stressed that "Hezbollah has no presence and does
not engage in any activity on Syrian territory, and it is keen on the stability
of Syria and the security of its people." In 2013, Hezbollah announced its
intervention in support of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad and fought alongside
the Syrian army in the conflict that erupted in 2011 after the authorities
cracked down on anti-Assad demonstrations. Until recently, Hezbollah was the
most influential political and military force in Lebanon, receiving major
support from Damascus and Tehran, according to Agence France-Presse. However,
the situation has changed in recent months due to shifting balances of power.
The party emerged weakened from its recent war with Israel, having lost its most
prominent leaders and had a large portion of its arsenal destroyed. In addition,
the regime of its ally, Assad, fell in Syria, which had been a key arms supply
route for the party. Last March, Lebanon and Syria signed an agreement to
control their border after clashes that left 10 dead. The office of Lebanese
Justice Minister Adel Nassar announced on Tuesday that two specialized
committees from Syria and Lebanon held their first meeting in Damascus,
discussing "security and judicial issues" between the two countries.
Le Drian Meets Lebanese Leaders to Discuss Army Support and
Reforms
This is Beirut/September 11/2025
French President Emmanuel Macron’s special envoy for Lebanon, Jean-Yves Le Drian,
visited Beirut on Thursday to discuss support for the Lebanese Army, economic
reforms and preparations for two upcoming international conferences. The visit
comes amid international pressure on Lebanon to advance reforms, including
economic, institutional and security measures, as well as the disarmament of
Hezbollah, a key condition for holding the conferences aimed at helping the
country recover. Le Drian began his visit at Baabda Palace with President Joseph
Aoun, who expressed gratitude for France’s role in organizing the conferences,
one focused on army support and the other on reconstruction and economic
recovery. Aoun emphasized that Lebanon continues its reforms not only to meet
international demands but also to ensure economic recovery for its citizens. On
security matters, the president said the army is implementing a plan starting
south of the Litani River to disarm various Lebanese and Palestinian factions.
He noted that the continued presence of Israeli forces in certain areas hinders
the army’s full deployment and stressed that international pressure on Israel to
halt hostilities would facilitate the plan’s implementation.
Aoun also praised France for its role in renewing UNIFIL’s
mandate for over a year, allowing the Lebanese Army time to strengthen its
capacities in case of an Israeli withdrawal. He stressed that support for the
army is as crucial as economic reconstruction, stating that a secure environment
is essential for recovery, and reaffirmed national cohesion despite political
differences. For his part, Le Drian confirmed France’s commitment to supporting
Lebanon in all sectors, particularly ahead of the two conferences, and cited
encouraging outcomes from recent meetings in Saudi Arabia. His schedule also
included meetings with Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri, Prime Minister Nawaf
Salam, Army Commander Rodolphe Haykal and other officials to discuss the
implementation of the army’s plan, arms handover in Palestinian camps and the
fight against cross-border smuggling.
Trump Administration Approves $14.2 Million Aid Package to
Boost Lebanese Army Against Hezbollah
This is Beirut/September 11/2025
The US Department of War (DOW) has announced a new $14.2 million security
assistance package for the Lebanese Armed Forces (LAF), aimed at strengthening
the country’s ability to dismantle weapons stockpiles and military
infrastructure belonging to non-state groups, particularly Hezbollah. The
package, funded through the Presidential Drawdown Authority, will provide the
LAF with demolition equipment such as shaped charges, blasting caps, detonating
cords, and time fuses, alongside generators, transportation vehicles, and other
support gear. US officials said the assistance is intended to enhance the army’s
capacity to carry out patrols, dispose of unexploded ordnance, and neutralize
weapons caches. “This package will build the capability and capacity of the
Lebanese Armed Forces to dismantle weapons caches and military infrastructure of
non-state groups, including Hezbollah,” the Pentagon said in a statement on
Wednesday. The aid comes as Lebanon moves forward with a plan to enforce state
control over all weapons inside Lebanon. The US Department of War described its
support as part of Washington’s broader strategy to counter Iranian-backed
militant organizations across the region. According to the Pentagon, the newly
approved package will help the Lebanese military implement the terms of the
ceasefire and reinforce the state’s authority in a country long destabilized by
armed non-state actors. “Through this package, the DOW is empowering the
Lebanese Armed Forces to degrade Hezbollah, in alignment with the
administration’s priority to counter Iranian-backed terrorist groups in the
region,” the statement added.
Syria Announces Arrest of Hezbollah Cell in Damascus
Countryside
This is Beirut/September 11/2025
The Syrian authorities announced Thursday the arrest of members of a terrorist
cell affiliated with Hezbollah. According to Brigadier General Ahmad al-Dalati,
commander of internal security in Rif Dimashq (the outskirts of Damascus), this
cell was operating in the towns of Saasaa and Kanaker, in southern Syria.
According to the authorities, the operation was “the result of close
surveillance and intensive fieldwork carried out by specialized units in
cooperation with the General Intelligence services.” During the raid, security
forces seized rocket launchers, 19 Grad-type missiles, anti-tank missiles, as
well as small arms and large quantities of ammunition, General al-Dalati
explained. The suspects were handed over to the competent authorities, while
investigations are ongoing to determine their networks and precise objectives.
The Internal Security Command stressed that this cell was involved in “planning
operations aimed at threatening the security and stability of the country.
“The arrest testifies to the coordination between security
forces and intelligence services, highlighting the effectiveness of the
surveillance and intervention measures put in place in the region,” read a post
on the Syrian Interior Ministry’s X account. In a statement released by its
press office, Hezbollah denied what it called “the accusations of the Syrian
Ministry of the Interior.” It said it has “no presence or activity on Syrian
territory and is committed to Syria’s stability and the security of its people.”
Israeli Attacks on Bekaa and South Amid Surge in Aerial
Activity
This is Beirut/September 11/2025
Israeli forces carried out air strikes across southern Lebanon and the Bekaa
Valley on Thursday. Heavy shelling was reported on the outskirts of Ansar and
Zrariya, as well as near Qallaat Mays outside Ansar, followed by raids that
targeted the eastern mountain chain in the Yahfoufa area in the western Bekaa.
Israeli Army Spokesperson Avichay Adraee confirmed the operations, stating that
the military “struck infrastructure inside a site used for the production and
storage of strategic weaponry belonging to the terrorist Hezbollah organization
in the Bekaa region of Lebanon.”He said the Israeli army also attacked Hezbollah
infrastructure in the Zrariyeh area of southern Lebanon. “The presence of this
terrorist infrastructure, which was targeted, constitutes a violation of the
understandings between Israel and Lebanon,” Adraee said on X, adding the army
will continue to act to eliminate any threat to Israel. Earlier on Thursday, an
Israeli drone strike killed one person after targeting a motorcycle between Ain
Baal and Bazouriya in Tyre district. The strikes came amid heightened Israeli
aerial activity over Lebanon. On Thursday morning, drones were observed at
various altitudes across the eastern and western mountain ranges and the central
Bekaa Valley. Reconnaissance flights were also reported over Tyre, its
surrounding villages, and along the Litani River. In a separate incident at dawn
Thursday, Israeli forces detonated a building in the Abu Tawil neighborhood on
the outskirts of Aita al-Shaab, reportedly a former school for children with
special needs.
Israeli Strike Kills One Person in South Lebanon
Asharq Al Awsat/September 11/2025
Lebanon’s health ministry said an Israeli strike in the country's south on
Thursday killed one person. "An Israeli enemy drone strike targeted a motorcycle
on the Ain Baal-Bazouriyeh road, killing one person," the ministry said in a
statement, referring to an area in south Lebanon's Tyre district. The strike
came after a raid Tuesday between the towns of Jiyeh and Barja south of Beirut
wounded a Hezbollah member, according to a security source, and after strikes on
eastern Lebanon on Monday killed five people, with Israel saying it targeted
Hezbollah sites. Israel has continued to carry out attacks on Lebanon, usually
saying it is targeting Hezbollah operatives or sites, despite a November truce
that sought to end more than a year of hostilities including two months of open
war with the group. The Lebanese government last month ordered the military to
draw up a plan to disarm Hezbollah, and has since said the army would begin the
plan's implementation.Thursday's raid came as French envoy Jean-Yves Le Drian
visited Lebanon for talks with senior officials.
Lebanese Cabinet Grants License to Elon Musk's Starlink
Asharq Al Awsat/September 11/2025
Lebanon's cabinet granted a license to Starlink, the satellite internet firm led
by billionaire Elon Musk, to provide internet services in the country, the state
news agency NNA said on Thursday. Tony Saad, a spokesperson for
Telecommunications Minister Charles Hage, said that Starlink had set up a
company in Lebanon, which was awarded the license after around six months of
negotiations with the government. Reuters quoted him as saying that access to
the service would be limited to companies, with packages starting at $100 a
month. Internet access in Lebanon, which ranks among the countries with the
slowest speeds, has until now been operated exclusively by state-owned providers
and their affiliates, which have lobbied the government not to grant a license
to Starlink. "The Lebanese cabinet approved granting a license to Starlink
Lebanon to provide internet distribution services across all Lebanese territory
through satellites operated by SpaceX," NNA said. Musk expressed interest in
Lebanon’s telecommunications and internet sectors in June during a phone call
with President Joseph Aoun, according to a presidential statement.
Second Group of Displaced Syrians Departs Lebanon
This is Beirut/September 11/2025
Lebanon has initiated the second phase of its organized return program for
displaced Syrians through the Masnaa border crossing. The process was carried
out in coordination with the Syrian government and in partnership with UNHCR,
the International Organization for Migration (IOM), the Lebanese Red Cross (LRC),
and other humanitarian groups. According to Lebanese
authorities, 280 displaced Syrians left Masnaa after completing all required
registration and verification procedures at Bar Elias Middle School, the
official processing center for the program. Meanwhile, Syrian state media SANA
reported that 300 displaced Syrians arrived at the Jdeidet Yabous crossing in
rural Damascus as part of the second batch of voluntary returns from Lebanon,
organized under the UNHCR program. Lebanon’s
government emphasized that the program is part of its broader strategy to manage
the safe and orderly return of displaced Syrians, while coordinating closely
with international and regional partners to ensure humanitarian standards and
security measures are met.
Lebanon-Syria: Update on Missing Persons and Detainees
Soumia Benmerzoug/This Is Beirut/September 11/2025
Lebanon and Syria have set up bilateral committees to address sensitive issues:
Lebanese citizens missing in Syria, Syrian prisoners held in Lebanon, and the
demarcation of their shared border. Announced on September 1, 2025, this
initiative is a turning point in relations long marked by tension. The two
countries unveiled the creation of joint committees tasked with handling three
key files: Lebanese citizens who went missing in Syria, Syrian prisoners
currently held in Lebanon, and formal delineation of the common border. The
announcement was made on September 1, 2025, during a visit to Beirut by a Syrian
delegation composed of former ministers and the head of Syria’s National
Commission for the Missing.
The Lebanese Missing: A Wound Still Open
The fate of Lebanese who disappeared in Syria remains one of the most painful
scars of the country’s recent history. During the Lebanese Civil War (1975–1990)
and the Syrian occupation (1976–2005), thousands of Lebanese were abducted or
jailed, often without trial or any information about their fate. According to
NGO SOLIDE, around 650 Lebanese are still missing in Syria. Families, organized
through groups such as the Committee of the Families of Kidnapped and Missing in
Lebanon, have tirelessly demanded answers. While a handful of releases have
taken place in recent years, many cases remain unresolved.
The creation of the bilateral committee offers a fragile
glimmer of hope, with a mandate to investigate disappearances, review Syrian
prison archives, question former officials, and coordinate with families. DNA
testing is also being considered to help identify recovered remains. Amid
persistent criticism from families over a lack of transparency and political
will, the Lebanese government insists that the issue has been central in
discussions with Damascus. Beirut says it acknowledges the families’ suffering
and right to the truth, and pledges to exert all efforts to secure the return of
those who may still be alive on Syrian territory, according to several sources.
The Syrian Perspective
On the Syrian side, about 2,000 nationals are currently held in Lebanon, nearly
800 of them on security-related charges. The matter gained new momentum with the
recent visit of a Lebanese security and judicial delegation to Damascus, which
local media sources described as an important milestone in the talks. The
discussions focus primarily on two priorities: addressing the fate of Islamist
detainees arrested during the Dennieh clashes (2000) and the Nahr al-Bared
conflict (2007), and clarifying the legal framework for extraditions in light of
existing bilateral agreements. Syria is seeking the repatriation of prisoners
identified as opponents of the former regime, while Lebanon refuses to extradite
those implicated in the killing of Lebanese soldiers or in political
assassinations. According to Lebanese authorities, serious crimes such as murder
and terrorism will be excluded from extradition; only other categories of
offenses will be reviewed progressively. An official prisoner list is expected
to be submitted soon by the Syrian side at the committees’ second meeting in
Beirut.
The Common Border
The second committee will undertake the technical work of formally demarcating
the Lebanon-Syria border, which remains only partially defined; a situation that
has fueled smuggling, informal land occupation, and local tensions. It will also
propose measures to strengthen border security while safeguarding the interests
of local communities.The launch of these committees comes at a politically
unprecedented moment, following the fall of Bashar al-Assad’s regime and the
rise to power of interim president Ahmad al-Sharaa, who has pledged to turn a
new leaf with Beirut. Should these bilateral bodies achieve tangible results,
they could mark a significant step toward the normalization of relations between
Lebanon and Syria, and even serve as a model for resolving other regional
disputes. Yet, daunting challenges remain; chief among them transparency,
respect for human rights, and effective implementation of decisions.
Block Everything:’ Same Recipe, Same Poison in France and
Lebanon
Marc Saikali/This is Beirut/September 11/2025
In Paris, it’s the grand carnival of chaos. They call it a “day of action,” as
if the country needed a prescribed dose of disorder. In reality, it’s La France
Insoumise (LFI) running the show, dragging along its far-left satellites and
leaving the Black Blocs lurking in the shadows to do the dirty work. Unable to
seize power at the ballot box, LFI is now trying to grab it in the streets. The
playbook is simple: block, smash and rebrand it as participatory democracy.
Translation: stir up a mess (to put it politely) and wait for surrender.
In Beirut, the show is more theatrical but just as effective.
Here, no hooded Black Blocs: their equivalent is the hundreds of Hezbollah
motorbikes parading through the streets whenever anyone dares utter the word
“disarmament” in reference to the pro-Iranian militia. A roar of engines, a sea
of yellow flags, and the message is clear: “We’re everywhere, we see everything,
and we won’t give anything up.” Some smash shop windows, others flaunt rockets.
Two styles, one goal: to intimidate the silent majority.
And the governments? Once again, a perfect mirror. In France,
Sébastien Lecornu, appointed Prime Minister just two days ago, is already
walking on eggshells: 80,000 police and gendarmes are deployed, yet everyone
knows that a single stray shot or minor “blunder” could tip everything over.
Meanwhile, international rating agencies are watching, threatening France with a
downgrade – a sign of eroding confidence and the result of a debt that has
ballooned by €1 trillion. In Lebanon, this scenario is all too familiar: the
country’s credit rating has been slashed so low that it hit “Z” – assuming such
a rating even exists. There, as here, the state lives under constant pressure, a
perpetual tightrope walker between chaos and collapse. In short, whether it’s
blocking a train in Lyon or halting a Council of Ministers meeting in Beirut,
the tactic is always the same: create chaos to impose your own order. This was
the point of yet another speech by Hezbollah’s Secretary-General on Wednesday.
In a nutshell: move along, nothing to see here, and forget all this talk of
disarmament. In France as in Lebanon, for now, might makes right. On top of that
comes the familiar tune, as worn out as any union slogan: “It’s for the people.”
Of course it is.Churchill once said, “When you’re going through hell, keep
going.”Hope awaits at the end of the infernal tunnel.
Lebanese Potatoes: Tubers, Challenges and Export Hopes
Christiane Tager/This is Beirut/September 11/2025
In Lebanon, the potato is more than a staple: it’s an economic battlefield and
sometimes… a bitter joke. Overproduction, foreign competition and limited
exports leave farmers caught between selling their harvest and watching it rot
in warehouses. In a country where even bread is
becoming a luxury, one might think the potato – king of family meals and star of
mezze – is guaranteed a smooth ride. Yet behind every plate of crispy “batata”
lies the story of farmers digging the soil… and digging deeper into debt.
The Roots of the Problem
According to the Ministry of Agriculture, potatoes are among Lebanon’s top
agricultural products. In 2022, the country harvested a record 676,000 tons. The
crop covers 24,022 hectares, with an average yield of around 28 tons per
hectare. The Beqaa Valley remains the undisputed leader, producing 65 to 70% of
the total, followed by the Akkar plain with 25 to 30%. This growth is striking
compared to 1970, when production barely exceeded 100,000 tons, then plummeted
to 30,000 tons during the war, before rebounding to nearly 435,000 tons in the
2000s. Current projections estimate 685,000 tons by 2026, a 1.5% annual
increase, while domestic consumption is expected to reach 315,000 tons, up 0.9%
per year. But producing is one thing, selling is
another: with high fertilizer costs, skyrocketing fuel prices needed for
irrigation and transport, and a volatile market, farmers often end up selling
their potatoes at a loss. “We farm the land, but the land ends up farming us,” a
Beqaa Valley producer jokes bitterly.
The Tricky Issue of Exports
Despite these sizable harvests, exports remain limited. According to available
data, only about 37,000 tons – roughly 5% of total production – are sold abroad.
By comparison, Israel exports nearly 32% of its crop overseas, and the
Netherlands 35%. Lebanon once fared better: in 2004, exports reached around
45,754 tons, valued at $8.3 million, mainly to Arab countries. Since then,
exports have been erratic: $30,470 in 2016, rebounding to $20,700 in 2022, but
plunging to just $7,767 in 2024, according to the Ministry of Economy.
Agriculture Minister Nizar Hani summed up the challenge to This is Beirut: “The
key market remains the Gulf, but accessing it requires going through Saudi
Arabia overland. Shipping by sea is too expensive.” He also noted that the
crisis is global: from Europe to Pakistan, overproduction makes it difficult to
move the crop. On Wednesday, he even met with frozen potato manufacturers to
encourage sourcing from local producers. The outcome is mixed: while sales are
moving forward, cold storage warehouses remain full.
Good news, however: the Ministry of Agriculture has struck a deal with the
European Union. The goal is to allow Lebanese potatoes to be exported to Europe…
but only during the months when Europe isn’t producing, and provided that very
strict sanitary standards are met. In short: farmers must hit the perfect window
and hope prices align.
Heavyweight Competition
Inside the Lebanese market, farmers face yet another battle: uncontrolled
imports. Shipments from Egypt or Syria regularly flood the markets at unbeatable
prices, crushing local production. “Lebanese potatoes are like our politics:
always in competition, rarely protected,” adds the farmer from Akkar. Yet, it’s
not all bleak. Potatoes remain among the most sought-after products in Lebanon,
starring in hundreds of recipes, from family mashed potatoes to fast-food fries.
With a smarter export strategy, stricter import controls and international
promotion, Lebanon could turn this humble tuber into a real economic asset.
And let’s not forget that the potato is resilient and tenacious, growing even in
the harshest soils – much like the Lebanese themselves. The question is whether
the state will finally give its farmers more than just peeled promises…
What Lebanon’s Hezbollah Disarmament Campaign
Means for Gaza
Seth J. Frantzman/The National Interest/September 11/2025
https://nationalinterest.org/blog/middle-east-watch/what-lebanons-hezbollah-disarmament-campaign-means-for-gaza
If Lebanon successfully disarms non-state actors in its territory, its
operations could serve as a template for regional stability.
In late August, the Lebanese Armed Forces began collecting weapons from
Palestinian refugee camps in Lebanon. The initiative came in the wake of an
agreement between Palestinian Authority president Mahmoud Abbas and newly
elected Lebanese president Joseph Aoun. The agreement enables the Lebanese army
to collect weapons from armed groups and secure all weapons in Lebanon in the
state’s possession. Lebanon’s success in collecting arms could help pave the way
for wider regional stability. It could also provide a lesson for how the
disarmament of Hamas could take place in Gaza.
Like all states, Lebanon’s government seeks a monopoly on the legitimate use of
force within its territory. The real goal in Lebanon is not just to collect arms
from Palestinian armed groups; rather, it is to disarm the Iranian-backed
terrorist group Hezbollah. The Palestinian camp disarmament is seen as the
low-hanging fruit. Plucking it from the tree will build confidence and expertise
in the Lebanese state and make it more adept at hauling in weapons from other,
more powerful non-state militants in the future.
Lebanon’s current challenges are a direct result of the country’s civil war,
which began in 1975 and continued until 1990. When the war ended, most of the
armed militias were supposed to lay down their arms. However, Hezbollah became
significantly stronger. It stockpiled more than 150,000 rockets, built kamikaze
drones, and used the Lebanon as a base of operations to attack Israel and
operate in other countries. Hezbollah was severely weakened in 2024 after
several weeks of heavy fighting with Israel. A ceasefire in November 2024 paved
the way for the new reality for the country. The fall of the Assad regime in
December 2024 has also cut off Hezbollah from Iranian arms trafficked through
Syria. These developments have emboldened Lebanon’s
government. The Abbas-Aoun agreement is significant because it enables the
government to collect arms from Palestinian groups peacefully. The agreement
covered groups such as Fatah, which are part of the Palestinian Authority.
However, it does not cover Hamas, which has many supporters in Lebanon.
**Seth Frantzman is the author of Drone Wars: Pioneers, Killing Machines,
Artificial Intelligence and the Battle for the Future (Bombardier 2021) and an
adjunct fellow at The Foundation for Defense of Democracies. He is the acting
news editor and senior Middle East correspondent and analyst at The Jerusalem
Post. Follow him on X: @sfrantzman.
Lebanese president urges US, France to pressure Israel amid push to disarm
Hezbollah
NAJIA HOUSSARI/Arab News/September 11, 2025
BEIRUT: Lebanese President Joseph Aoun on Wednesday urged the United States and
France to pressure Israel to halt its attacks on Lebanon as the Lebanese army
begins rolling out a security plan to disarm Hezbollah and other armed groups.
His statements came during a meeting with French envoy Jean-Yves Le Drian who
arrived in Beirut from Saudi Arabia for talks with senior Lebanese officials on
the country’s plan to disarm Hezbollah amid escalated Israeli attacks. The
meeting also comes as France prepares to host two international aid conferences
to support Lebanon’s army and economic reconstruction efforts. In a statement,
Aoun affirmed that the security plan that the Lebanese army has started
implementing south of the Litani region to restrict weapons to the state aims to
remove all armed groups from the Lebanese and Palestinian sides.
“However, the ongoing Israeli occupation of several Lebanese territories and its
refusal to respond to international calls to stop its attacks are preventing the
army from completing its deployment up to the international borders,” he added.
Aoun told to Le Drian that “any French or American pressure on Israel to respond
to the will of the international community to halt its hostilities would help
the Lebanese army complete the security plan.”He said that the army would
continue its work across all territories and borders, setting up barriers and
checkpoints under strict orders to confiscate weapons and ammunition from all
parties.According to his media office, Aoun reiterated his gratitude to France
for its role in renewing the UNIFIL mandate, noting that the extension for one
year and four months as an operational force, and for a full year as a start to
the withdrawal from the south, “allows for an organized departure process and
gives the Lebanese army sufficient time to strengthen its capabilities,
especially if the Israelis withdraw and cease their attacks.”
He thanked French President Emmanuel Macron for his efforts to hold the two
international conferences, affirming that Lebanon “is moving forward with
economic and financial reforms based on a firm national conviction, and not only
in response to the international community demands.”Aoun noted that holding two
conferences to support the army and reconstruction is a vital step, because it
establishes the appropriate security environment for economic recovery. He said
that “solidarity among the Lebanese is unwavering and that political differences
are natural in democratic systems.”
The Lebanese government will finalize the draft law on the fiscal gap this
month, to be referred to parliament following the approval of the banking
secrecy and banking reorganization laws, Aoun said. The step, he added, paves
the way for the economic recovery process. Le Drian conveyed France’s continued
support for Lebanon. According to the media office of
the Presidential Palace, the French envoy briefed Aoun on the outcomes of his
calls in Saudi Arabia and commended the steps taken by Lebanon in the Council of
Ministers regarding the decision to restrict weapons and assign the army to
develop a plan to implement the restriction of weapons.The French envoy also
praised the economic reforms undertaken by Lebanon, which he called “positive
signs that enhance the chances of increasing international support for
Lebanon.”During his visit, Le Drian also met with Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri
and Prime Minister Nawaf Salam. His talks centered on two main issues: whether
conditions are now favorable for a French-led conference in support of Lebanon
to move the idea forward from discussion to implementation. The second concerned
the renewal of UNIFIL’s mandate, which was approved by the Security Council at
the end of last month, with France acting as the council’s “penholder” on the
matter. Meanwhile, the Israeli army continued its almost daily attacks on
Lebanon. On Wednesday, warplanes launched strikes on the eastern mountain range,
targeting areas between Janta and Qousaya near the Syrian border.
Israeli forces also targeted a motorcyclist between the southern towns of Ain
Baal and Bazouriye, killing Wassim Saeed Jabai, a resident of Hanawieh
originally from Aaitat. Hezbollah later announced his death.
Intense Israeli airstrikes also hit the town of Ansar. The Israeli army claimed
on its official radio that it targeted “a site for the production and storage of
strategic weapons for Hezbollah in the Bekaa Valley in Lebanon.”Israeli forces
controlling Lebanese border areas blew up a building belonging to a school for
people with special needs on the outskirts of Ayta ash-Shaab, a border town.
Hezbollah Secretary-General Sheikh Naim Qassem, who opposes handing over the
party’s weapons to the Lebanese army, cited “the ongoing Israeli aggression
against Lebanon,” when criticizing the government in a speech on Wednesday.
“How can this government claim to uphold sovereignty and represent the
Lebanese people, yet stab the resistance in the back? Why does it seek to
abandon Lebanon’s source of strength when it has no alternative means of
defense?” he said. Qassem argued that the US had “abandoned the guarantee it
gave concerning Israel’s withdrawal from positions it occupies in the south,”
accusing it of seeking to bring Lebanon under control as part of the so-called
Greater Israel project. He said that “the ongoing role of the resistance is in
everyone’s interest,” calling for dialogue and consensus: “Let’s engage in
dialogue and reach an agreement, don’t let the enemies exploit our divisions,”
he concluded.
From Escobar to Maduro: Hezbollah’s Imaginary Electoral Victories
Makram Rabah/Now Lebanon/September 11/2025
The so-called “Axis of Resistance” is mired in deep moral and political crises,
none more telling than its astonishing ability to lie with abandon. Propaganda
has become the bloodstream of its daily discourse—manufactured rumors repeated
until they sound like truths, repackaged into heroic narratives under slogans
such as “the most honorable people.” Anyone daring to question this delusion is
branded a traitor.
This estrangement from reality is not new. It is structural. The axis has long
transformed defeats into rhetorical victories, military losses into symbolic
“points” in what it now calls the “battle of consciousness.” Just last week, a
Hezbollah affiliate appeared on an Arab media outlet insisting that the axis had
not lost the war, but merely “lost a round on points.” As proof, he cited
supposed electoral “victories” in Colombia, Brazil, and Venezuela. The claim,
predictably, became instant fodder for mockery on social media.
Whether this was a slip of the tongue or a scripted “talking point” circulated
by beeper or WhatsApp group, it exposes the mindset that drives Iran and its
regional clients: a psychology built on denial, wishful thinking, and
ideological fantasy rather than the hard facts of geopolitics.
Hezbollah and the remnants of Cold War militants still cling to the illusion
that global powers—Russia, China, or the BRICS bloc—will one day swoop in to
crush American hegemony. All it takes, they say, is “patience” and “faith in the
cause.” Yet this reveals a profound ignorance of today’s international order.
China, above all, has no interest in Iran’s adventurism. For Beijing, prosperity
comes not from militarizing the Middle East but from stability, trade, and open
markets—conditions wholly at odds with the perpetual conflict that the axis
thrives on. Russia, meanwhile, is mired in its own quagmires and treats Tehran
with cold pragmatism. Moscow does not rank “liberating Palestine” or empowering
Hezbollah among .
The claim that Latin America has somehow fallen under the sway of “resistance
culture” is equally misleading.
In Colombia, authorities designated Hezbollah a terrorist organization in 2020
after the group carried out terrorist and criminal operations on its soil,
including attacks on Jewish communities and U.S. interests. President Gustavo
Petro may have a past in a Marxist guerrilla group, but he renounced violence in
1989 and embraced democratic politics. His trajectory was consolidated with the
2016 peace accord that disarmed the FARC and integrated it into civilian
life—precisely the kind of disarmament Hezbollah refuses to contemplate. To
describe Colombia as part of the resistance axis is ideological fiction at best.
Brazil under President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva offers a similar case. Lula is
a long-time supporter of Palestinian rights, but Brazil has dismantled
Hezbollah’s financial and criminal networks and arrested Lebanese expatriates
tied to narcotics smuggling and terror plots. Sympathy for Palestinians does not
translate into membership in the Lebanese chapter of the Iranian Revolutionary
Guard.
Venezuelan strongman Nicolás Maduro is perhaps the axis’s most celebrated
“ally.” Yet here, too, reality is sobering. Maduro lost the recent election by a
wide margin, clings to power through repression, and leans on Cuban mercenaries
paid from Venezuela’s plundered resources. This is not resistance. It is
dictatorship disguised in the language of sovereignty and anti-imperialism.
What stands out most in the rhetoric of the axis is its absolutism, its
collective hallucination. It refuses to acknowledge losses, wrapping death,
destruction, and sectarian carnage in the costume of divine struggle.
This fixation on “winning on points” has a bloody price. It produces phantom
victories while rivers of blood run in Gaza and southern Lebanon, where
ideological dreams are buried under the rubble of homes and the bodies of
children.
In the end, the political mind of the axis sees the world through a single,
distorted lens: denial and flight forward. It cannot read global shifts or grasp
the limits of its power. And so it clings to an illusion of “points” in battles
it has already lost. The “resistance project” is not just failing. It is
dead—only its burial remains
**This article originally appeared in Nidaa al-Watan
**Makram Rabah is the managing editor at Now Lebanon and an Assistant Professor
at the American University of Beirut, Department of History. His book Conflict
on Mount Lebanon: The Druze, the Maronites and Collective Memory (Edinburgh
University Press) covers collective identities and the Lebanese Civil War. He
tweets at @makramrabah
Between Sheikh Naim Qassem and Ambassador Johnny Abdo
Jean Feghali/Nidaa Al Watan/ September 12, 2025
(Freely translated by the LCCC website from Arabic)
Former Ambassador Johnny Abdo liked to say that during the era of the late
President Elias Hrawi, "he would send information, and instructions would be
sent to him." This statement, albeit in reverse, is similar to what some
"reconnaissance companies" do, receiving "instructions" and then responding with
"information." This statement is appropriate to what Hezbollah Secretary-General
Sheikh Naim Qassem announced in his final speech last Tuesday, regarding the
issue of Hezbollah's weapons. He said: "Do you want to know the public's
opinion? There are two opinion polls: one by Information International, and the
other by the Consultative Center. Both polls showed that between 58% and 60% are
against the party surrendering its weapons under these circumstances." We pause
at the first poll published by a Hezbollah-affiliated newspaper on August 11th.
The poll was conducted by the "Directorate of Statistics and Opinion Polls at
the Advisory Center for Studies and Documentation." A closer examination of the
center's identity reveals that its "advisory body" is largely composed of
Hezbollah figures. This identity undermines the center's neutrality,
objectivity, and credibility. According to the poll published by the newspaper,
"the sample numbered 600 respondents." This meager number could have been drawn
from a single residential building or residential complex. Sheikh Naim Qassem
used this sample to summarize the "people," saying, "You want to know the
people's opinion? There's a poll for the advisory center." Sheikh Naim's words
are reminiscent of Ambassador Johnny Abdo's account of "information and
instructions." "Instructions" are given to the advisory center, which then
provides "information." But Sheikh Naim Qassem must decide: will he cling to
arms based on the poll's results? In this case, is there any need to develop a
"defense strategy"? Are fateful matters determined by a poll conducted by a
partisan body, in which 600 individuals encapsulate the "Lebanese people"?
Sheikh Qassem's argument is so weak that he requires a poll to support his
viewpoint. In response to the survey and what was published by Al-Muman'a
newspaper, polling and statistics expert Tony Chahwan says: "Before expressing
any opinion on the results of this survey, I ask the esteemed newspaper, if it
wants to enhance confidence in the credibility of what it publishes, to publish
the following:
- Questions in the questionnaire.
- A precise description of the sample (in terms of the weights of the respondent
groups, their geographic distribution, their age groups, and gender
distribution).
- The technique used to implement the questionnaire.
- The course of this survey research.
In this way, it will have adhered to academic and journalistic integrity in
publishing news of this type.
In 1954, veteran journalist Darrell Hough wrote a book entitled "How to Lie with
Statistics." This book appears to be held by the "Consultative Center for
Studies and Documentation," which is supposed to present a copy of it to Sheikh
Naim Qassem. In his following speech, he avoids justifying his continued use of
a "from" survey. Housewives.
Libya and the Mystery of the 'Disappeared
Imam'
Dr. Jebril El-Abidi/Asharq Al Awsat/September 11/2025
Will the newly released images of Imam Musa al-Sadr, which have been analyzed
through a face-recognition algorithm, solve the mystery of his disappearance? Or
will this new information about the former head of Lebanon’s Supreme Islamic
Shiite Council simply fuel another round of political exploitation, perpetuating
the cycle that has recurred for decades? Sadr vanished under extremely dubious
and obscure circumstances over forty years ago. Almost all the relevant evidence
has since disappeared, and it remains among the most notorious forced
disappearances of our time. He had no obvious enemies at the time, but many
actors had a lot to gain from his absence: states, Lebanese politicians, and
several Shiite clerics who would go on to lead ideological organizations, among
them Hezbollah. The latest finding comes from British
journalists seeking answers about Sadr’s disappearance in Libya. They obtained
photographs of a corpse discovered in a Libyan hospital morgue, and they were
told it might be Sadr. Face-recognition software was used to compare the images
to those of Sadr and his relatives. Since it found only a 60 percent match,
there remains room to doubt whether this body, frozen for years, was in fact
Musa al-Sadr.
The pictures were taken in 2011. In them, we see a corpse that seems like it
could be Sadr in a Libyan morgue. One journalist noted: “Only one {corpse}
resembled Sadr:” the person is “unusually tall.” However, the face “had barely
any identifiable features.” The journalists behind the story explained that they
presented the photos to researchers at the University of Bradford who had
“developed a unique algorithm called Deep Face Recognition” for analysis.
According to the account given by the Libyan state during Muammar
Qaddafi’s reign, Imam Musa al-Sadr left Libya for Rome. His clothes and
belongings were indeed found in a hotel room that he and his companions had
booked in the Italian capital. However, the Lebanese did not believe this
rendering of what happened, insisting that someone else, disguised as the Imam,
had left Libya using al-Sadr’s passport. The problem
is that neither side has ever been ready to uncover, or even accept, the truth.
Shiite politicians have clung to the narrative that al-Sadr did not die, and
that was being transferred from one prison since arriving in Libya. This theory,
however, is not plausible: it would mean that Sadr lived to celebrate his
hundredth birthday despite his incarceration, and that Libya’s current leaders
(Qaddafi’s enemies, not his allies) are hiding him.
Even the Imam’s family maintains that “he is alive and in prison,” as his
daughter and sister both insist; they also stress that regional powers are
behind his disappearance. Their claims only raise more questions, especially
since Qaddafi had no obvious interest in hiding or killing al-Sadr. On the
contrary, he was a friend of the regime who had come to Tripoli to attend
Qaddafi’s commemoration of the September 1 Revolution.
The disappearance of Imam Musa al-Sadr is, first and foremost, a humanitarian
tragedy; it must not be exploited for political blackmail or gains. Likewise,
the detention of Hannibal Qaddafi (who had been accused of being implicated
despite having been a toddler when the imam vanished) was a political
kidnapping. It is unbecoming of the Lebanese state and judiciary to keep him
detained under this pretext, particularly with Hezbollah’s once-terrifying grip
over government and judiciary having crumbled.
Lebanon’s Speaker of Parliament Nabih Berri has been extremely vocal about this
mystery. He has long boycotted Libyan authorities, agitated against them, and
refused any dialogue with them, even disregarding claims that almost confirmed
the death of Sadr and with his two companions. Qaddafi himself, pointing to
al-Sadr’s Iranian origins, used to say: “Sadr is Iranian; it is Iran that should
seek him.” Indeed, Sadr was born in Iran and only came to Lebanon in 1959.
Speaker Berri has repeatedly stated: “Liberating the Imam and his two companions
is a sacred mission. Both as the head of the Amal Movement and as speaker of
parliament, I will never stop pursuing this goal. That is, he also continues to
believe al-Sadr is alive, even after all these years. This implausible
conviction only hinders negotiations or closure.
Beyond the political squabbles and blackmail, the disappearance of Sadr and his
companions remains a deeply tragic incident. An impartial Arab-Islamic
investigative committee must finally close the case by determining his fate,
regardless of whether he is Iranian and not Lebanese, as Qaddafi consistently
stressed. What is striking is that Iran itself, despite being the “most
entitled” to seek answers- as Qaddafi put it- has never once officially sought
answers about what had happened to him.
Minister Fadi Makki
Marwan Al-Amin/Nidaa Al-Watan/September 12, 2025
(Freely translated by the LCCC website from Arabic)
All eyes were on the cabinet session on September 5th, which bore a central
theme long awaited by the Lebanese: the army's plan to restrict the possession
of weapons to the legitimate government throughout Lebanese territory, in
implementation of the August 5th resolution. Expectations were clear from the
outset: the Shiite "duo" would not engage positively with this session.
Nevertheless, Presidents Joseph Aoun and Nawaf Salam attempted to find a way out
that would save the Shiite "duo's" face and diffuse tensions. They included four
additional items on the agenda, adopted flexible language such as "welcome," and
other formal formulas, upon which the "duo" built a media campaign to boost the
morale of their supporters. However, these formal maneuvers did not change the
substance of the meeting. The plan was approved, and the army was now required
to submit a monthly report to the government detailing the progress of
implementation on the ground. What stole the spotlight during the September 5
session was not the withdrawal of the Shiite "duo" ministers, nor the
continuation of the session without them, reflecting the decline of Hezbollah's
influence within the cabinet and in political life. Rather, it was the erratic
stance of Minister Fadi Makki. The man who left the August 7 session under the
pretext of waiting for the army's plan, and who presented himself at the time as
a guardian of seriousness, quickly let down the Lebanese by breaking his public
promise not to walk out of any government session again. Even more shocking was
that Makki left the September 7 session before even listening to the
presentation prepared by the army commander—the very presentation he claimed to
be waiting for. The other blatant irony is that he not only broke his promises,
but also attempted to outsmart the Lebanese: he placed his resignation "at the
disposal of the President of the Republic" before leaving, as if he wanted to
get ahead of the Shiite "duo" ministers, whose possible resignations were
rumored, and to appear as the "decision maker," not the subordinate. Minister
Fadi Makki, who preferred to please the Shiite "duo" at the expense of his
credibility and respect for his pledges to the Lebanese, has lost what little
trust he had left in him. The man who once presented himself as an "independent"
figure who placed the state's interests above all other considerations, has
ended up defending arms, above the interests of the state and the Lebanese. The
irony is that these weapons, which Makki chose to cover, have become a burden
that threatens the Shiites themselves before anyone else: they prevent
reconstruction, delay their return to their villages and towns, and turn them
into hostages to calculations in which they have no stake.
Perhaps what deepened Minister Fadi Makki's political fragility was his public
admission that he "cannot carry such decisions on his shoulders." If he was
incapable of shouldering the responsibility, why did he accept this position in
the first place? Didn't he know in advance that the arms issue was the first and
most sensitive challenge facing the government? A ministry is not a title, but
rather a responsibility to the Lebanese. It requires commitment to promises, not
denial, firmness, not weakness, and courage to confront, not submission. Those
who remain powerless over the substance of the issues lose the people's trust.
If Minister Fadi Makki has any desire to regain even a small portion of his
moral standing in the eyes of the Lebanese, he has no choice but to insist on
his resignation. Recent events have proven beyond a doubt that he is not up to
the responsibility, by his own frank admission, and have also proven that he is
incapable of fulfilling his public promises to the Lebanese. Remaining in such a
position only further erodes his image, while leaving it may be the easiest way
to save whatever remains of his face.
Defense Treaty in Congress: Lebanon Under the American
Umbrella?
Alan Sarkis/Nidaa Al Watan/September 12, 2025
(Freely translated by the LCCC website from Arabic)
The visit of the US Congressional delegation, accompanied by US envoy Tom
Barrack and envoy Morgan Ortagus, was significant. It was not a matter of
familiarization or reconnaissance, but rather outlined the future of
Lebanese-American relations. US President Donald Trump attaches great importance
to Lebanon, as evidenced by the successive visits of Barrack and Ortagus and
their desire to reach a settlement that prevents war and restores Lebanon's
sovereignty. Washington is primarily focused on ending the abnormal state of
arms, restricting them to the state, and initiating reforms. Lebanon is at the
heart of US interests, not only because it affects Israel's security, but also
because Washington has direct interests there. The United States has become the
primary power with influence in Lebanon. This influence is not only political,
but also extends to the economy, with Washington focusing on combating
corruption and investing in a measured manner, unrelated to the policies of
other countries. Otherwise, Lebanon could become a mere economic bargaining
chip, as was the case between French President Emmanuel Macron and Tehran, where
Macron offered consolation prizes and investments in Lebanon in exchange for
supporting Iran's political position. The visit of the congressional delegation
and US Senator Lindsey Graham's announcement from Beirut about a joint defense
treaty with Lebanon were remarkable. Everyone thought this was just an idea that
had been proposed and ended there, but what happened was that Graham went ahead
with his idea. What's new is that Graham raised this idea two days ago before
the US Congress, which is known to be the maker of important decisions. Graham
emphasized the importance of pursuing this idea until its implementation,
explaining the importance of concluding such a treaty for Lebanon and America as
well. This proposal highlights the importance of preserving Lebanon's stability.
Upon signing this agreement, a US protective umbrella will be established over
Lebanon, preventing militias from violating its borders and provoking war every
thirty years. This treaty will help the Lebanese army rearm, enhance its
military capabilities, and allow it to extend its authority. Furthermore, as a
result of this treaty, Lebanon will be able to protect and extract its oil and
gas wealth without any problems. Remarkably, during the congressional
interventions, one senator recalled the 1958 incident when President Camille
Chamoun requested the intervention of the Marines after the revolution. US
forces landed on the beaches of Beirut. At the time, Lebanon was bound by a
treaty with Washington, which enabled it to intervene to protect it. Several
members of Congress called for the swift ratification of this treaty. It
protects Lebanese territory, provides a protective umbrella, safeguards its
sovereignty and borders, resolves all outstanding issues with Israel, and
provides guarantees of non-aggression against Lebanon due to the presence of US
forces in Beirut and the expansion of bases in support of the Lebanese army and
to maintain security and stability. Ortagus' discussions in Lebanon and the
insistence on implementing the American plan to secure a protective cordon for
Lebanon and subsequently prepare for a US-Lebanese security agreement that would
be the fruit of long-term cooperation and establish a period of stability.
Lebanon, which is suffering from an economic crisis and has been drawn into a
major war by Hezbollah, which it lost, cannot impose its own conditions. There
is an American desire to restore Lebanese sovereignty once and for all. However,
if Lebanon does not follow the established path and Hezbollah continues to
mortgage Lebanon to Iranian interests, this means the return of war, and then no
one will be able to bear the consequences. Discussions regarding the defense
treaty have begun in Congress, and there appears to be a desire to expedite this
process. Time is not in Lebanon's favor, and any procrastination by the
political authorities means the country will pay the heaviest price.
Geagea of Jabal Amel
Asaad Bechara/Nidaa Al Watan/September 12, 2025
(Freely translated by the LCCC website from Arabic)
Samir Geagea is delving into Jabal Amel this time, not out of traditional
rivalry or narrow alignments, but rather from the perspective of
revitalization—a revitalization of Shiite Lebanese identity, which was
originally the cornerstone of the birth of the Lebanese entity. History tells us
that the Wadi al-Hujayr Conference of 1920 marked a pivotal moment in
determining the position of the Shiites of Jabal Amel, as the scholar Abdul
Hussein Sharaf al-Din supported the option of Greater Lebanon, seeing it as a
guarantee and salvation from marginalization and deprivation. However, the
distance separating the sect today from that historic moment has become mere
light years, after it was swept along multiple paths and engaged in cross-border
projects, ultimately returning to a forced adherence to a one-sided vision that
bore no resemblance to its roots. May God have mercy on the thinker Karim
Mroueh, who once wrote that Greater Lebanon did justice to the Shiites after
centuries of marginalization and disaster. For them, Lebanon was not merely a
temporary entity; it constituted a protective umbrella for a society that
continued to seek recognition and dignity. Hence, reclaiming that founding
moment appears to be an existential need, not only for national balance, but
also to return to the core idea of a state that embraces all. Hence, came
Samir Geagea's "Amelite" message, which transcends circumstantial political
calculations. The clear message to the people of Jabal Amel is: We are partners
in one homeland; we have what you have and we are responsible for what you are
responsible for. So why insist on being held hostage by an Iranian rug that
shifts beneath your feet every decade, causing a 10-magnitude earthquake? Why
insist on making national decisions hostage to the game of axes, when history
reminds you that Lebanon was a refuge and a model, and that there is no
alternative but to return to it?
Geagea's call is not a passing cry, but rather an attempt to reach out to a
fundamental component of the nation. The Shiites, who, along with the Maronites,
Sunnis, and Druze, founded Greater Lebanon, are called upon today more than ever
to reclaim their founding role. Returning to Lebanon is not a loss, but a net
gain, and waiting is not a slogan but a national commitment. Let the message be:
Return to Lebanon, we are waiting.
Judicial Disputes Rage the Judiciary and the Port Case: Oueidat Disputes Bitar
Farah Mansour/Al-Modon/September 12, 2025
(Freely translated by the LCCC website from Arabic)
Once again, the port case has resurfaced, confirming that the judicial disputes
are far from over. Former Public Prosecutor Ghassan Munif Oueidat has filed a
lawsuit against the judicial investigator in the port case, Tarek Bitar.
Al-Modon's information indicates that Oueidat filed a lawsuit against Bitar
before the General Assembly of the Court of Cassation, as a result of the
decision issued on July 11, 2025, when Bitar requested to be questioned as a
"defendant" in the crimes of murder, assault, sabotage, and arson, all linked to
possible intent, breach of duty, and violation of regulations and laws.
Judicial Conflict
This dispute dates back to 2023, when Bitar resumed his case, seeking to
conclude the investigations and issue his indictment. The dispute erupted after
Bitar referred Oueidat (then a public prosecutor) to the defendant in the port
case, requesting his interrogation and investigation. Oueidat filed a lawsuit
against Bitar for "usurping authority" because he had returned to his work,
ignoring all the lawsuits filed against him. Judge Habib Rizkallah was then
assigned to pursue the lawsuit. He requested that the allegation be corrected.
Oueidat appealed this decision. A three-judge indictment panel was formed last
April to rule on the appeal, but it has yet to issue a decision. According to
Al-Modon, Oueidat filed a lawsuit claiming that Bitar "committed serious errors
based on a complete disregard for the provisions of Article 354 of the Criminal
Procedure Code." Which stipulates that if the Public Prosecutor of Cassation
commits a misdemeanor or felony, whether within, outside, or in connection with
his or her official duties, he or she shall be tried before a special judicial
panel of five judges appointed by decree issued by the Council of Ministers
based on the proposal of the Minister of Justice. Members of this panel must be
at least 17th in judicial rank. Thus, a new case is filed against Bitar. It is
one of five that the General Assembly of the Court of Cassation will decide, in
addition to dozens of cases of recusal and legitimate suspicion.
All Cases Decided
According to judicial sources told Al-Modon, the port investigation is in its
final stages. The indictment is expected to be issued by the end of this year or
at the beginning of 2026 at the latest. All cases filed against Bitar, including
the "usurpation of authority" case, will be decided in the coming period after
the start of the new judicial year and the judges' assumption of office on
September 16. Al-Modon has learned that judicial efforts are continuing to
remove all obstacles facing the port case, particularly since delaying the
adjudication of the lawsuits will negatively impact the case and affect the
strength and durability of the indictment in the Judicial Council. Judicial
sources confirm to Al-Modon that all lawsuits filed against Bitar over the years
will be adjudicated in the coming period.
The Latest English LCCC Miscellaneous
Reports And News published
on September 11-12/2025
UN Security Council condemns Doha strikes, reaffirms support for Qatari
mediation efforts
Ephrem Kossaify/Arab News/September
11, 2025
NEW YORK: The UN Security Council on Thursday condemned Israel’s airstrikes on
Doha, expressing “deep regret” over the loss of civilian life in the attack on
“the territory of a key mediator” in ongoing efforts to end the war in Gaza. In
a statement released after closed consultations, the 15-member Security Council
voiced solidarity with Qatar, reaffirming support for the country’s sovereignty
and territorial integrity in accordance with the UN Charter. Council members
also underscored the need for de-escalation and emphasized the critical role
Qatar plays in regional mediation, particularly alongside Egypt and the US. “The
Council recalled its support for the vital role that Qatar continues to play in
mediation efforts in the region,” the statement read, adding that the release of
hostages, including those killed by Hamas, and ending the suffering in Gaza
“must remain our top priority.”The statement comes two days after a series of
strikes hit the Qatari capital on Sept. 9 in a rare, alarming escalation beyond
the immediate conflict zone. The strikes have been widely condemned by
international actors, with fears they could derail fragile diplomatic efforts to
broker a ceasefire. Qatar has been at the center of international mediation
since the conflict between Israel and Hamas broke out nearly two years ago. The
Gulf nation has hosted indirect talks between Israeli and Hamas officials and
has worked closely with Cairo and Washington to try to secure a durable truce.
The Security Council urged all parties to “seize the opportunity for peace” and
reiterated its backing for continued diplomatic engagement to end the conflict.
The attack marks the first direct strike on Qatari soil by Israel since the
start of the current conflict in Gaza, which has left more than 60,000 people
dead and many thousands more injured, facing famine and displaced in the coastal
enclave.
Hamas says attack against leaders in Doha won’t change Gaza ceasefire demands
Reuters/September 11, 2025
DOHA: An Israeli attack that targeted Hamas leaders in Qatar this week would not
change the Palestinian group’s terms for ending the war in Gaza, an official
said on Thursday.
Israel attempted to kill the political leaders of Hamas with an airstrike on
Doha on Tuesday, in what US officials described as a unilateral escalation that
did not serve American or Israeli interests. Hamas accused the US on Thursday of
complicity in Israel’s deadly attack on its negotiators in Qatar, lambasting
Israel for seeking to kill off Gaza truce talks as Doha buried the dead. In a
televised address, Hamas official Fawzi Barhoum said the strike targeted the
group’s negotiating delegation while they were discussing a new ceasefire
proposal delivered by the Qatari prime minister just a day earlier.
“At the moment of the terrorist attack, the negotiating delegation was in
the process of discussing its response to the proposal,” he said. “This crime
was... an assassination of the entire negotiation process and a deliberate
targeting of the role of our mediating brothers in Qatar and Egypt,” Barhoum
added. Qatar has been hosting and mediating in negotiations aimed at securing a
ceasefire in the Gaza war. Barhoum reaffirmed Hamas’s key demands: a full
ceasefire, the withdrawal of Israeli forces from Gaza, a real
prisoner-for-hostage exchange, humanitarian relief and reconstruction of the
enclave. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is
pushing for an all-or-nothing deal that would see all of the hostages released
at once and Hamas surrendering. Hamas said five of its members had been killed
in the attack, including the son of Hamas’s exiled Gaza chief and top negotiator
Khalil Al-Hayya. The attack on Doha drew condemnation from regional powers
including Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, as well as the European
Union, and risks derailing US-backed efforts to broker a truce and end the
nearly two-year-old conflict.
UN Security Council condemns
Doha strikes, reaffirms support for Qatari mediation efforts
Ephrem Kossaify/Arab News/September 11, 2025
NEW YORK: The UN Security Council on Thursday condemned Israel’s airstrikes on
Doha, expressing “deep regret” over the loss of civilian life in the attack on
“the territory of a key mediator” in ongoing efforts to end the war in Gaza. In
a statement released after closed consultations, the 15-member Security Council
voiced solidarity with Qatar, reaffirming support for the country’s sovereignty
and territorial integrity in accordance with the UN Charter. Council members
also underscored the need for de-escalation and emphasized the critical role
Qatar plays in regional mediation, particularly alongside Egypt and the US. “The
Council recalled its support for the vital role that Qatar continues to play in
mediation efforts in the region,” the statement read, adding that the release of
hostages, including those killed by Hamas, and ending the suffering in Gaza
“must remain our top priority.”The statement comes two days after a series of
strikes hit the Qatari capital on Sept. 9 in a rare, alarming escalation beyond
the immediate conflict zone. The strikes have been widely condemned by
international actors, with fears they could derail fragile diplomatic efforts to
broker a ceasefire. Qatar has been at the center of international mediation
since the conflict between Israel and Hamas broke out nearly two years ago. The
Gulf nation has hosted indirect talks between Israeli and Hamas officials and
has worked closely with Cairo and Washington to try to secure a durable truce.
The Security Council urged all parties to “seize the opportunity for peace” and
reiterated its backing for continued diplomatic engagement to end the conflict.
The attack marks the first direct strike on Qatari soil by Israel since the
start of the current conflict in Gaza, which has left more than 60,000 people
dead and many thousands more injured, facing famine and displaced in the coastal
enclave.
“Have you seen a state attack negotiators like that?” Qatar
PM slams Israeli strike on Doha at UN
Ephrem Kossaify/Arab News/September 12, 2025
NEW YORK: “Have you seen a state attack negotiators like that?” Prime Minister
Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al Thani asked the United Nations
Security Council on Thursday, following an Israeli airstrike on a diplomatic
compound in Doha that killed several people, including a Qatari security
officer.Addressing an emergency meeting convened at the request of Algeria,
Somalia, and Pakistan, the Qatari Prime Minister described the September 9
strike as a “criminal assault” and a “clear violation of Qatar’s sovereignty,”
warning that it threatened to derail ongoing ceasefire negotiations and peace
efforts in Gaza. The airstrike hit a residential
complex in Doha housing members of Hamas’s political bureau and their families.
The location, Sheikh Mohammed emphasized, was widely known to diplomats,
journalists, and others involved in the mediation process. The Prime Minister
said the Hamas delegation had been meeting to discuss the latest U.S. ceasefire
proposal when the missiles struck at approximately 15:45 local time. “This was
no accident,” he told Council members. “This was a targeted effort to sabotage
diplomacy, to perpetuate suffering, and to silence those seeking a way out of
the bloodshed.”
Under-Secretary-General for Political and Peacebuilding Affairs Rosemary
DiCarlo, delivering the Secretary-General’s message, described the Israeli
action as “an alarming escalation” and a direct violation of Qatar’s territorial
integrity.
“This strike potentially opens a new and perilous chapter in this devastating
conflict,” she said. “Any action that undermines mediation weakens confidence in
the very mechanisms we rely on to resolve conflicts.”
Israel took responsibility for the attack, with Prime Minister Benjamin
Netanyahu calling it “a wholly independent Israeli operation” in response to a
deadly Hamas-claimed attack in Jerusalem the day prior. Hamas confirmed that the
son of its chief negotiator, Khalil al-Hayya, was among those killed, though the
senior leadership reportedly survived. The United
Kingdom condemned Israel’s airstrikes on Doha as a flagrant violation of Qatar’s
sovereignty, warning they risk further regional escalation and jeopardize
ceasefire negotiations. Ambassador Barbara Woodward praised Qatar’s “resolute
commitment” to diplomacy and dialogue, commending the leadership of His Highness
Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani.in championing peace efforts.
Woodward reiterated that Hamas must release all hostages, agree to a ceasefire,
and disarm, but also criticized Israel’s ongoing military operation in Gaza
City, stating, “The Israeli government’s decision to further escalate its
offensive in Gaza is wrong.” She called for an immediate increase in
humanitarian aid and urged Israel to lift all restrictions, reaffirming the UK’s
support for a two-state solution as the only path to lasting peace.
The United States expressed concern over the incident while reaffirming its
commitment to Israel’s security and the removal of Hamas. Acting U.S. Ambassador
Dorothy Shea conveyed condolences to the family of the fallen Qatari officer,
calling Qatar a “sovereign nation bravely taking risks to broker peace.” Still,
she urged Council members not to use the attack to “question Israel’s commitment
to bringing their hostages home.”President Donald Trump, who spoke to both
Netanyahu and Qatar’s Emir after the strike, believes the incident could serve
as “an opportunity for peace,” according to Shea. The U.S., she said, remains
committed to securing a ceasefire, facilitating humanitarian access, and pushing
Hamas to disarm and release all hostages. But Qatar’s
Prime Minister was unequivocal in his condemnation, saying that the strike had
“uncovered the true intention of Israel’s extremist leadership,” which he
accused of undermining any prospect of peace. Drawing parallels to the
U.S.-Taliban talks hosted in Doha, Sheikh Mohammed said the targeting of Hamas
negotiators directly contradicted the norms of conflict mediation. “The United
States never once struck the Taliban negotiators in Doha,” he said. “On the
contrary, it was through those channels that we ended the longest war in U.S.
history. Why is Israel trying to destroy the very possibility of a negotiated
peace?”He added that Qatar remains committed to mediation and humanitarian
efforts, having helped secure the release of 148 hostages and facilitate aid
corridors into Gaza. “This attack is not only on Qatar—it is on every country
striving for peace,” he said. “The international community is being tested. If
the United Nations remains silent, it legitimizes the law of the jungle.”DiCarlo
said that “durable and just solutions in the Middle East will not emerge from
bombs, but from diplomacy,” she said. Qatar has pledged to continue its efforts
in partnership with Egypt and the U.S. to reach a ceasefire in Gaza and secure
the release of hostages. “We call for peace, not war,” Sheikh Mohammed
concluded. “But we will not condone attacks on our sovereignty. We reserve the
right to respond within the framework of international law.”Israeli Ambassador
to the UN, Danny Danon, addressed Prime Minister Al Thani directly and said:
“Prime Minister Al Thani, history will not be kind to accomplices. Either Qatar
condemns Hamas, expels Hamas, and brings Hamas to justice. Or Israel will.” The
ambassador emphasized: “There will be no immunity for terrorists.” Danon added:
“Today, on September 11, the world remembers the brutal and murderous terrorist
attack in the United States. When bin Laden was eliminated in Pakistan, the
question asked was not ‘Why was a terrorist attacked on foreign soil?’, but ‘Why
was he given sanctuary in the first place?’ There was no immunity for bin Laden
and there can be no immunity for Hamas.”
Doha to host emergency Arab-Islamic summit to discuss Israeli attack on Qatar
Reuters/September 11, 2025
The Qatari capital will host an emergency Arab-Islamic summit next Sunday and
Monday to discuss the Israeli attack on Doha that targeted Hamas leaders,
according to an invitation by Qatar's new agency. Meanwhile, Egyptian Foreign
Minister Badr Abdelatty arrived in Doha on Tuesday to express Egypt’s full
solidarity with Qatar following Israeli attacks that targeted senior Hamas
leaders. Abdelatty was received by Qatar’s Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani.
Hamas Leaders, who Were Target of Israeli Strike, Did not Attend Victims’
Funeral in Doha
Asharq Al Awsat/September 11/2025
ources told Asharq Al-Awsat that the movement’s leaders, who were targeted in
the Israeli attack in the Qatari capital on Tuesday, were absent from the
funeral of the airstrike’s victims. The funeral was held in Doha on Thursday
afternoon. The sources indicated that the Hamas leaders, who were not present at
the meeting targeted by Israel and who reside in Qatar, also did not attend the
ceremony. The sources did not provide an explanation for their absence. Images
distributed by Hamas showed at least two political leaders - Osama Hamdan and
Izzat al-Rishq - present at the ceremony. The funeral was attended by Qatar's
Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, according to Qatari state media. Hamas
said five of its members had been killed in the attack, including the son of
Hamas' exiled Gaza chief and top negotiator Khalil al-Hayya. Senior Hamas
political leaders were wounded, one critically, in the Israeli air strike on the
Hamas compound in the Qatari capital, according to sources within the group. The
sources told Asharq al-Awsat that the officials are being treated under heavy
security at a private hospital, but declined to identify them.
There Are Wounded Hamas Leaders in Doha Strike, One in Critical Condition
Asharq Al Awsat/September 11/2025
Senior Hamas political leaders were wounded, one critically, in an Israeli air
strike on a Hamas compound in the Qatari capital, Doha, according to sources
within the group. The sources told Asharq al-Awsat
that the officials are being treated under heavy security at a private hospital,
but declined to identify them. The strike late Tuesday on the Hamas leadership
complex killed five Palestinians, including Hammam al-Hayya, the son of senior
Hamas official Khalil al-Hayya, his chief of staff Jihad Lubad, three bodyguards
and a Qatari security officer. The compound housed offices and residences of
Hamas leaders and their guards. The heaviest bombardment hit Khalil al-Hayya’s
villa, which contained his private office, the sources said. They added that the
meeting of Hamas’s political bureau had been underway inside the adjacent office
of former political chief Ismail Haniyeh, assassinated in Tehran last year, when
a bomb struck a corner of the building. Several bureau
members were wounded but survived because they had been seated at the far side
of the room. The sources suggested Israel may have tracked the officials’ mobile
phones to locate the meeting, but noted that Hamas leaders usually leave their
devices outside during closed-door sessions. That could explain why most of the
fatalities were among aides and guards. Hamas maintains several compounds and
residences across Doha and routinely shifts its meetings, the sources said. The
targeted session was to be followed by a meeting with Qatari Prime Minister and
Foreign Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani to discuss a
US-brokered ceasefire proposal from President Donald Trump, according to the
sources. Hamas accused the United States of complicity in the strike, saying
Washington provided cover for Israel’s operation. One source described it as a
“US-Israeli ploy” to lure the group’s leadership into one location. Some Hamas
officials had flown in from Türkiye, Egypt and other countries to attend the
expanded meeting, the sources added. Despite the attack, the sources said Hamas
leaders had agreed to continue negotiations aimed at ending the war in Gaza.
“There is consensus on pursuing talks to achieve Palestinian demands, ensure a
complete halt to the war and guarantee Israel’s withdrawal from the Strip,” one
source said. Contacts with mediators are expected to resume once security
conditions stabilize, with Hamas set to hold internal consultations on how to
conduct the next phase of negotiations, the sources said.
UAE Strongly Condemns Netanyahu’s Hostile Statements Against Qatar
Asharq Al Awsat/September 11/2025
The United Arab Emirates has strongly condemned and denounced the hostile
statements made by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu against Qatar. In a
statement, the UAE’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs reaffirmed that the security
and stability of Qatar is an integral part of the security and stability of the
Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) states, stressing that any aggression against a
GCC member state constitutes an attack on the collective Gulf security
framework. The Ministry further stressed the UAE’s categorical rejection of the
Israeli statements, which included future threats directed at Qatar, saying the
continuation of such provocative and hostile rhetoric undermines prospects for
stability and pushes the region towards extremely dangerous trajectories.
GCC Secretary-General Meets with Russian Foreign Minister
Asharq Al Awsat/September 11/2025
Secretary-General of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) Jasem Albudaiwi met with
Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation Sergey Lavrov today in
Sochi, Russia, on the sidelines of the eighth meeting of the Strategic Dialogue
between the GCC and the Russian Federation. The discussion focused on key
topics, particularly the strengthening of GCC-Russian relations within the
framework of the Strategic Dialogue established by the two sides in 2011, SPA
reported. They also exchanged views on the mechanisms for accelerating the
implementation of the 2023-2028 Joint Action Plan between the GCC and the
Russian Federation, and addressed the latest developments in the region. Both
parties reaffirmed their commitment to enhancing GCC–Russian relations in
support of the shared interests of their peoples.
Palestinians face new dilemma as Israeli forces advance
Reuters/September 11, 2025
GENEVA: Palestinians in the relatively unscathed Nasser area of Gaza City were
having to decide whether to stay or go on Thursday after the Israeli military
dropped leaflets warning that troops would take control of the western
neighborhood. Israel has ordered the hundreds of thousands of people living in
Gaza City to leave as it intensifies its all-out war on Hamas, but with little
safety, space, and food in the rest of Gaza, people face dire choices. “It has
been almost two years, with no rest, no settling down, not even sleep,” said
Ahmed Al-Dayeh, a father, as he and his family prepared to flee the city in a
truck pulled by a motorcycle, laden with some of their belongings. “We can’t sit
with our children ... just to sit with them. Our life revolves around war,” he
said. “We have to go from this area to that area. We can’t take it anymore, we
are tired.” Israeli forces killed 18 people across the territory on Thursday,
according to medics and local health authorities, including 11 in strikes on
various parts of Gaza City, five in a strike on a single location in Beach
refugee camp, and two who were searching for food near Rafah in the south.
Israeli ground troops had operated in parts of the Nasser area at the start of
the war in October 2023, and the leaflets dropped late on Wednesday left
residents fearful that tanks would soon advance to occupy the entire
neighborhood.
In the past week, Israeli forces have been operating in three Gaza City
neighborhoods further east — Shejaia, Zeitoun, and Tuffah — and sent tanks
briefly into Sheikh Radwan, which is adjacent to Nasser. It said last Thursday
it controlled 40 percent of the city.
On Wednesday, the Israeli military said it struck 360 targets in Gaza in what it
said was an escalation of strikes that targeted “terrorist infrastructure,
cameras, reconnaissance operations rooms, sniper positions, anti-tank missile
launch sites, and command and control complexes.”It added that in the coming
days, it would intensify attacks in a focused manner to strike Hamas
infrastructure, “disrupting its operational readiness, and reducing the threat
to our forces in preparation for the next phases of the operation.”Gaza City
families continued to stream out of their homes in areas targeted by Israeli
aerial and ground operations, heading either westward toward the center of the
city and along the coast, or south toward other parts of the Strip. But some
were either unwilling or unable to leave.“We don’t have enough money, enough to
flee. We don’t have any means to go south like they say,” said Abu Hani, who was
attending the funeral of one of the people killed in Thursday’s strikes, who was
his friend. The war was triggered by attacks launched from Gaza on southern
Israel on Oct. 7, 2023. Israel’s military assault on Gaza has killed over 64,000
people, also mostly civilians, according to local health authorities, caused a
hunger crisis and wider humanitarian disaster, and reduced much of the enclave
to rubble. Seven more Palestinians, including a child,
have died of malnutrition and starvation in Gaza in the past 24 hours, the
territory’s Health Ministry said on Thursday, raising the number of deaths from
such causes to at least 411, including 142 children.
Israel says it is taking steps to prevent food shortages in Gaza, letting
hundreds of trucks of supplies into the enclave, though international agencies
say far more is needed.
Netanyahu Signs West Bank Settlement Expansion Plan
Asharq Al Awsat/September 11/2025
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu signed an agreement on Thursday to
push ahead with a controversial settlement expansion plan that would cut across
land that the Palestinians seek for a state. "There will not be a Palestinian
state," Netanyahu said during a visit to the Maale Adumim settlement in the West
Bank where thousands of new housing units would be added. Last month, the E1
project, which would bisect the occupied West Bank and cut it off from East
Jerusalem, received final approval. The Palestinian foreign ministry has said
that the E1 settlement would isolate Palestinian communities living in the area
and undermines the possibility of a two-state solution. "We will safeguard our
heritage, our land and our security... We are going to double the city's
population," said Netanyahu at the event in Maale Adumim. The event was streamed
live by his office. Israeli NGO Peace Now, which monitors settlement activity in
the West Bank, said last week that infrastructure work in E1 could begin within
a few months, and housing construction within about a year. It said the E1 plan
was "deadly for the future of Israel and for any chance of achieving a peaceful
two-state solution."
Five Takeaways on Netanyahu’s Moves after Qatar Strike
Tel Aviv: Nazir Magally/Asharq Al Awsat/September 11/2025
Many details of Israel’s attempt to assassinate Hamas leaders in Qatar will
become clearer once the full results emerge. But even as Israeli officials began
acknowledging disappointment that Hamas’ leadership survived, they stressed the
operation was meant to yield “deterrence gains” and pointed to what they call
the “Munich approach,” a doctrine dating back to 1972 when Israel hunted down
members of the Palestinian Black September group behind the killing of 11
Israeli athletes at the Munich Olympics. Today, more than half a century later
and after over 63,000 deaths in Gaza, Israel says it is striking back for the
October 7, 2023 Hamas-led assault.
‘Munich in our era’
Israeli leaders hailed the Doha raid as a precision mission before its outcome
became clear, comparing it to the killings of Hezbollah commanders and Iranian
Revolutionary Guard officers. They spoke of “surgical strikes” involving 15
fighter jets, refueling aircraft, and precision-guided munitions. But after
Hamas declared its leaders had survived, Israeli officials shifted to urging
patience while DNA tests confirmed casualties, before admitting privately to
frustration. Military commentators framed the setback as a tactical hiccup while
still claiming strategic benefits: Hamas leaders, they argued, would now feel
hunted and restricted. Former Shin Bet chief Ronen Bar reportedly described the
operation as “Munich in our era,” echoing Golda Meir’s 1972 order to eliminate
those behind the Olympic attack. Netanyahu, for his part, said Israel had
targeted Hamas leaders “in the same place they celebrated October 7” - a
statement contradicted by evidence that the group’s thanksgiving prayers took
place in Türkiye, not Qatar.
A pre-approved hit list
According to Israeli media, the decision to assassinate Hamas’ top echelon was
taken on Oct. 8, 2023. The Shin Bet was tasked with the campaign, which began
with the killing of Saleh al-Arouri in Beirut, followed by Ismail Haniyeh, Yahya
al-Sinwar, Mohammed Deif and Mohammed al-Sinwar. Last week, army chief Eyal
Zamir warned Hamas leaders abroad they would not be safe. Shortly after,
Netanyahu ordered the Doha strike once intelligence indicated Hamas figures were
meeting in the Qatari capital. Some senior officials, including the army’s
representative to hostage talks, opposed the timing, fearing it would derail
negotiations over Israeli captives. Netanyahu overruled them.
Multiple objectives
Analysts say the Qatar operation was designed to achieve several goals:
reinforcing Israel’s image as the dominant military power in the Middle East,
showcasing its reach against adversaries from Hezbollah to the Houthis
US angle and blame game
Netanyahu initially claimed the Doha strike was an exclusively Israeli
operation, a line Israeli officials said was pressed by Washington to limit
American exposure. US officials, according to Israeli leaks, were briefed but
later distanced themselves once Arab outrage spread. Seeking to deflect
responsibility for the mission’s failure, Netanyahu’s allies suggested US
President Donald Trump tipped off Qatar about the raid, allowing Hamas leaders
to flee moments before the bombs hit.
Political fallout
Israeli sources now fear Trump could use the episode to recalibrate his Arab
diplomacy, potentially demanding concessions from Netanyahu to reassure allies
like Qatar that Washington does not condone strikes on their soil. Such a shift
could revive pressure for a ceasefire and political talks.
Grossi Confirms Deal for Access to Iranian Facilities,
Araghchi Rules Out Immediate Inspections
London: Asharq Al Awsat/September 11/2025
The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) chief, Rafael Grossi, confirmed on
Wednesday that a new cooperation framework with Iran will cover all nuclear
facilities and infrastructure across the country. But Iranian Foreign Minister
Abbas Araghchi cautioned that the arrangement does not currently authorize
inspectors to resume visits. Grossi told the IAEA
Board of Governors in Vienna that the deal includes full reporting obligations
on Iran’s nuclear sites, including facilities damaged during the June
confrontation with Israel. He described the agreement as a step forward after
months of paralysis and escalation, noting that inspections in Iran had been
completely halted for the first time since the signing of the comprehensive
safeguards accord. He added that resuming them would require complex technical
and political arrangements, not simply routine procedures.
Iran’s enrichment plants sustained heavy damage in the strikes, leaving
unanswered questions about uranium enriched to 60 percent purity. That level
falls just short of weapons-grade material, which requires enrichment to about
90 percent.
According to a recent IAEA report, before the attacks Iran possessed enough
enriched material to produce ten nuclear warheads if further refined. Following
the strikes, Iran’s parliament passed a law suspending cooperation with the
agency and giving the Supreme National Security Council the authority to approve
any inspection. Talks with the IAEA resumed as
Britain, France, and Germany moved toward triggering the UN’s snapback sanctions
mechanism by late September if Iran failed to allow inspectors into three bombed
sites, provide clarity on roughly 400 kilograms of enriched uranium, and engage
directly with Washington on a new nuclear deal. Diplomats cited by Bloomberg
said the Cairo accord laid the groundwork for inspectors to return as early as
next month. They explained that Iran must first submit detailed reports
identifying uranium stockpiles before additional negotiations on how inspectors
might safely access damaged facilities. Those sites could still contain
unexploded ordnance or chemical contamination, requiring special arrangements.
Grossi warned that the Iranian law suspending cooperation would have amounted to
a breach of international obligations with broad implications for global
security. He welcomed Tehran’s stated decision to remain within the
Non-Proliferation Treaty and expressed hope that the new framework, finalized
after weeks of consultations in Cairo, could open space for diplomacy. He also
thanked Egypt’s leadership for hosting the negotiations and facilitating
dialogue.
Araghchi’s Conditions
Araghchi, however, stressed that inspectors would not be allowed entry for the
time being. He explained that the agreement conformed to Iranian law and took
account of national security concerns following US strikes. Cooperation, he
said, would proceed under a new legal framework that recognized Iran’s
vulnerabilities. He clarified that Bushehr remains the only facility where
inspections continue under current approvals. Future access to other sites, he
said, will depend on technical reporting and further talks. Araqchi also warned
that activating the snapback sanctions mechanism would result in Iran halting
the deal entirely.
International Reactions
The framework prompted a wave of international responses. A senior French
diplomat stressed the urgency of restarting monitoring quickly, while European
Union foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas called the accord a potentially decisive
step if implemented without delay.
Saudi Arabia welcomed the deal as an important move to build trust and support
diplomatic solutions, while China described it as a positive contribution to
reducing tensions. Russia’s envoy to the IAEA, Mikhail
Ulyanov, said Iran’s demand for security guarantees after repeated strikes was
justified, warning against outside interference that could derail the agreement.
Yemen’s national museum damaged during Israeli airstrikes,
death toll rises to 46
Reuters/September 11, 2025
SANAA: Yemen’s Houthi Health Ministry said on Thursday the number of casualties
in Israel’s Wednesday attacks rose to 46 people killed and 165 wounded.
Israel struck the Yemeni capital Sanaa and the northern province of
Al-Jawf, the latest in a series of attacks and counterstrikes between Israel and
the Iran-backed Houthis in Yemen, part of a spillover from the war in Gaza.
The airstrikes caused damaged to Yemen's national museum and other
historical sites in its capital city, the Houthi Ministry of Culture said
Thursday. The status of the artifacts inside the
museum is still unclear but thousands of historical artifacts are at risk of
damage, according to the ministry. Associated Press photos and video footage
from the site of the strike showed damage to the building’s facade.
The ministry called on the UN cultural agency UNESCO to condemn the attack and
to intervene to help protect this historical building and its artifacts.Most of
those killed were in Sanaa, the capital, where a military headquarters and a
fuel station were hit on Wednesday, the Houthi-run health ministry said.
Israel has previously launched waves of airstrikes in response to the
Houthis’ firing of missiles and drones at Israel. The Iran-backed Houthis say
they are supporting Hamas and the Palestinians in the Gaza Strip, and on Sunday
they sent a drone that breached Israel’s multilayered air defenses and slammed
into a southern airport. It was the latest in a series
of attacks and counterstrikes between Israel and the Iran-backed Houthis in
Yemen, part of a spillover from the war in Gaza. The
attack followed an August 30 strike on Sanaa that killed the prime minister of
the Houthi-run government and several ministers, in the first such assault to
target senior officials. “The strikes were carried out in response to attacks
led by the Houthi terror regime against the State of Israel, during which
unmanned aerial vehicles and surface-to-surface missiles were launched toward
Israeli territory,” the Israeli military said. Earlier
on Thursday, the Israeli military said it intercepted two launches from Yemen, a
missile and a drone, operations the Houthis claimed responsibility for later.
The group’s military spokesperson said the operation was also “within the
framework of responding to the Israeli aggression against our country.” Houthis,
who control the most populous parts of Yemen, have attacked vessels in the Red
Sea in what they describe as acts of solidarity with the Palestinians in Gaza.
They have also fired missiles toward Israel, most of which have been
intercepted. Israel has responded with strikes on Houthi-controlled areas of
Yemen, including the vital Hodeidah port.
US issues new round of sanctions targeting Yemen’s Houthis
Reuters/September 11, 2025
WASHINGTON: The United States imposed a fresh round of sanctions targeting
Yemen’s Houthis on Thursday in what the Trump administration said was
Washington’s largest such action aimed at the Iran-aligned group. The US
Treasury Department said in a statement it was issuing sanctions against 32
individuals and entities as well as four vessels in an effort to disrupt the
Houthis’ fundraising, smuggling and attack operations. Among the targets are
several China-based companies that Treasury said helped transport military-grade
components, as well as other companies that help arrange for dual-use goods to
be shipped to the Houthis. The sanctions also target petroleum smugglers and
Houthi-linked shipping companies, Treasury said. The Houthis have disrupted
commerce since late 2023 by launching hundreds of drone and missile attacks on
vessels in the Red Sea, saying they were targeting ships linked to Israel in
solidarity with Palestinians over Israel’s war in Gaza. In May, President Donald
Trump announced a surprise US ceasefire agreement with Houthis.
The Latest English LCCC analysis &
editorials from miscellaneous sources
on September 11-12/2025
The art of lying about Israel ...Even
slanders that are debunked leave a stain
Clifford D. May/The Washington Times/September 11/2025
https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2025/sep/9/art-lying-israel/
https://www.fdd.org/analysis/2025/09/10/the-art-of-lying-about-israel/
In the first quarter of the last century, a soon-to-be-influential
communications strategist wrote that “the grossly impudent lie always leaves
traces behind it, even after it has been nailed down, a fact which all expert
liars in this world and all who conspire together in the art of lying know only
too well, and for this reason they stop at nothing to achieve this end.”
For centuries, Jews have been the targets of such lies. I’ll mention just three.
Beginning in the 12th century, Jews were accused of kidnapping and murdering
Christian children to use their blood to make matzahs for Passover.
During the plague of the 14th century, Jews were accused of poisoning wells and
rivers.
In the early 20th century, “The Protocols of the Elders of Zion,” fabricated by
the Russian secret police, claimed Jews were secretly plotting world domination.
These lies sparked massacres, pogroms, and – even after they were debunked –
enduring Jew-hatred.
Today, one tiny nation-state has a Jewish majority. I’ll mention just three lies
now being told about Israel.
Despite the incontrovertible fact that the roughly two million Arab citizens of
Israel enjoy freedoms and rights unavailable to Arab citizens of Arab countries,
Israel is slandered as an apartheid state.
Despite the incontrovertible fact that no nation in history has ever supplied so
much food to an enemy population during wartime – a war initiated by Hamas –
Israelis are accused of engineering famine in Gaza.
Despite the incontrovertible fact that the population of Gaza is tenfold what it
was in 1948, Israelis are accused of committing genocide.
“Genocide,” a word coined in the early 1940s by Raphael Lemkin, a Polish Jewish
lawyer, implies the intentional and systematic destruction of a “genos” – a
race, tribe, or people.
He obviously had in mind what the Nazis were doing to the Jews of Europe.
Hamas, in its charter, vows: “Israel will exist until Islam will obliterate it.”
Accusing Israelis of genocide is a particular kind of lie known as an
“inversion.” Hamas and its supporters accuse Israelis of the crime they have
long pledged to commit and were committing on Oct. 7, 2023. They know that
vilifying the victim as the victimizer will invariably deceive sizeable
audiences.
NPR, the BBC, CNN, Sky News, The Guardian, and Piers Morgan are among the media
outlets that have participated in this inversion by citing the International
Association of Genocide Scholars and its “resolution,” passed on Aug. 31, that
Israel is committing genocide in Gaza.
As they could easily have discovered, IAGS is a bogus organization.
It conducts no research. It produces no journals or original reports. Salo
Aizenberg, a board member of HonestReporting, revealed that, until last week
anyone, using any name, could become a member of the IAGS for just a $30
contribution.
One such member: Mo Cookie, the Cookie Monster wearing a Hamas headscarf.
What’s more, 80 of the 500 IAGS members appear to be based in Iraq, a country
that, as The Free Press editorialized, is “not known for universities with
robust genocide scholarship.”
IAGS members did not debate the “definitive statement” and only a minority – two
out of ten – voted for it.
But the trace of this lie persists and spreads.
Perhaps not just coincidentally, it followed a report endorsed by the U.N.
claiming that famine had broken out in Gaza, with the implication that Israel
was responsible.
Meanwhile, the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation, an American/Israeli project, was
delivering millions of meals to Gazans – 152 million as of Sept. 3 – and Israeli
authorities were calculating that 4,400 calories per person per day have entered
Gaza since the beginning of August.
Nevertheless, The New York Times on Aug. 22 told its readers: “Israel has
blocked most food and other aid from entering the enclave since the war began
nearly two years ago.”
Hundreds of aid trucks have indeed been blocked – but by U.N. Secretary-General
Antonio Guterres. He’s been insisting that the U.N. Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA)
must oversee distribution. And UNRWA has demanded the trucks be protected by the
Blue Police – a division of Hamas.
There’s more: In July, The New York Times featured a photograph of what appeared
to be a severely malnourished Gazan child.
A Free Press investigation uncovered that the child, 18-month-old Muhammad
Zakariya Ayyoub al-Matouq, suffers from cerebral palsy.
The investigation found that at least a dozen other “viral images of starvation
in Gaza” also were of children with inherited genetic diseases such as cystic
fibrosis.
How do we know that publishing these pictures was not an honest mistake? For
one, because the front-page Times photo had been cropped to remove the infant’s
brother who was of normal weight. Had there been an actual famine, finding
children with visible symptoms of starvation would not have been difficult.
I know because in the early 1980s, as a correspondent for The New York Times, I
covered the Ethiopian famine that inspired Michael Jackson to write the
international hit song “We Are the World.” Staving children have a specific look
– one you don’t easily forget.
To be clear: Gazans are suffering terribly.
But that’s because Hamas terrorists began this conflict and refuse to end it.
They refuse even to release the last surviving hostages they’ve been torturing –
including by starvation – for almost two years. Militarily, Hamas has been
decimated. But its propaganda campaign has been a smashing success thanks
largely to the U.N., a slew of non-governmental organizations, and much of the
media.
By the way: Were you wondering about the communications strategist I quoted at
the beginning of this column? His name was Adolf Hitler. The quote is from his
1925 autobiography, “Mein Kampf” (“My Struggle”).
It holds up rather well, don’t you think?
**Clifford D. May is founder and president of the Foundation for Defense of
Democracies (FDD), a columnist for the Washington Times, and host of the
“Foreign Podicy” podcast.
How the EU Pays Mainstream Media to Promote Its Narratives
Robert Williams/Gatestone Institute./September 11, 2025
https://www.gatestoneinstitute.org/21870/eu-pays-media
The report also shows that the
EU runs a highly sophisticated "EU media complex" through which it gets to shape
media narratives about itself and its agendas.
The European Commission has, it seems, has literally paid off almost everything
and everyone in the media world -- meaning that everyone, from news agencies to
media outlets, public broadcasters and other media organizations, sits in the
pocket of the European Commission to greater or smaller degrees.
These abundant examples of media and news organizations are just those within
the EU. The EU, however, is also operating a large-scale influence operation
outside of the EU....
There is nothing transparent about any of this funding. According to the report,
it is opaque and difficult to uncover.
"The EU's ever-expanding system of media financing...creates financial
dependencies, incentivises narrative conformity and fosters an ecosystem in
which dissenting voices are marginalised – all under the virtuous banners of
'fighting disinformation', 'promoting European values' and 'building a European
public sphere'" — Thomas Fazi, "Brussels's media machine: European media funding
and the shaping of public discourse," June 2025.
The EU sadly appears to be a deeply corrupt and undemocratic regime, which
desperately clings to power through influence-peddling and the imposition of
heavy-handed censorship. Hundreds of millions of Europeans continue to put up
with these tactics. When will they please wake up?
The unelected leadership of the evidently corrupt European Union (EU) is now
paying mainstream media to promote the agendas of its EU "elites." The EU
appears to have spent as much as 1 billion euros during the past decade alone in
the process, according to a recent report, "Brussels's media machine: European
media funding and the shaping of public discourse," by Thomas Fazi, from the
European think tank MCC Brussels.
Framing the projects as "fighting disinformation" and "promoting European
integration" the EU has been throwing taxpayer money, conservatively estimated
at €80 million annually, to "media projects" -- not including indirect funding,
such as advertising contracts.
The report also shows that the EU runs a highly sophisticated "EU media complex"
through which it gets to shape media narratives about itself and its agendas.
According to Fazi's report:
"The European Commission – through its Journalism Partnerships programme alone,
with a cumulative budget approaching € 50 million to date – oversees a vast
ecosystem of EU media 'collaborations.' Over the years, these have included
hundreds of projects, ranging from pro-EU promotional campaigns to questionable
'investigative journalism' initiatives and sweeping 'anti-fake news' efforts.
And that's on top of the advertorial campaigns funded through the Information
Measures for the EU Cohesion policy (IMREG) programme, to the tune of € 40
million so far...
"Even more concerning is the central role played by major European public
broadcasters in this process. These projects show that this is not a matter of
one-off collaborations, but rather an evolving semi-structural relationship
between EU institutions and public media networks."
The European Commission has, it seems, has literally paid off almost everything
and everyone in the media world -- meaning that everyone, from news agencies to
media outlets, public broadcasters and other media organizations, sits in the
pocket of the European Commission to greater or smaller degrees. Some examples:
Among news agencies -- upon which practically all news outlets depend for their
reporting -- the European Commission has poured money into the following, among
others: Agence France-Presse has received €7 million from the EU, ANSA (Italy)
€5.6 million, Deutsche Presse-Agentur, (Germany) €3.2 million, Agencia EFE
(Spain) €2 million, Associated Press (AP) €1 million, Lusa News Agency
(Portugal) €200,000 Polish Press Agency €500,000, and Athens News Agency
€600,000.
A selection of news outlets also appear to be being paid off by the European
Commission: Euronews (pan-European) €230 million, ARTE (France) €26 million,
Euractiv (pan-European) €6 million, Gazeta Wyborcza (Poland) €105,000, 444.hu
(Hungary) €1.1 million, France TV (France) €400,000, GEDI Gruppo Editoriale
(Italy) €190,000, ZDF (Germany) €500,000, and Bayerischer Rundfunk (Germany)
€600,000.
Public broadcasters have received the following: Deutsche Welle (Germany) €35
million, France Médias Monde €16.5 million, France Télévisions €1 million, RAI
Radiotelevisione italiana (Italy) €2 million, RTBF (Belgium) €675,000, RTP
(Portugal) €1.5 million, Estonian Public Broadcasting, ERR €1 million, RTVE
(Spain) €770,000 ERR (Estonia) €1 million and TV2 (Denmark) €900,000.
Media organizations such as Reporters Without Borders (France) and
Journalismfund Europe (Belgium) have received €5.7 million and €2.6 million
respectively. A Dutch organization that calls itself independent, Bellingcat,
has received €440,000.
These abundant examples of media and news organizations are just those within
the EU. The EU, however, is also operating a large-scale influence operation
outside of the EU, of course under the benign sounding propaganda words of
"framed as support for media freedom and pluralism" – as if the EU knows the
first thing about freedom and pluralism. The projects have centered especially
on media in Ukraine, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Moldova, Russia, Belarus and
the western Balkans.
There is nothing transparent about any of this funding. According to the report,
it is opaque and difficult to uncover. It makes sense, however, that the EU
would seek to cover up its own influence peddling as much as possible.
The report concludes:
"[T]he EU's ever-expanding system of media financing... creates financial
dependencies, incentivises narrative conformity and fosters an ecosystem in
which dissenting voices are marginalised – all under the virtuous banners of
'fighting disinformation', 'promoting European values' and 'building a European
public sphere.'
"The extent of institutional entanglement between EU bodies and major media
actors – from public broadcasters to news agencies to online outlets – cannot be
brushed aside as harmless or incidental. It constitutes a systemic conflict of
interest that compromises the media's ability to function as an independent
pillar of democracy. Even absent direct editorial interference, the structural
dependency on EU grants and contracts is enough to exert a chilling effect on
critical reporting and encourage a reflexive alignment with official EU
positions."
The EU appears, sadly, to be a deeply corrupt and undemocratic regime, which
desperately clings to power through influence-peddling and the imposition of
heavy-handed censorship. Hundreds of millions of Europeans continue to put up
with these tactics. When will they please wake up?
**Robert Williams is based in the United States.
© 2025 Gatestone Institute. All rights reserved. The articles printed here do
not necessarily reflect the views of the Editors or of Gatestone Institute. No
part of the Gatestone website or any of its contents may be reproduced, copied
or modified, without the prior written consent of Gatestone Institute.
Israel targets Hamas leaders in Qatar
Joe Truzman/FDD's Long War Journal./September 11, 2025
https://www.longwarjournal.org/archives/2025/09/israel-targets-hamas-leaders-in-qatar.php
Israeli airstrikes in the Qatari capital of Doha targeted senior members of
Hamas’s external leadership on Tuesday afternoon local time. The Israel Defense
Forces (IDF) confirmed the operation, saying it had targeted Hamas’s leadership
over the group’s responsibility for the October 7, 2023, massacre in southern
Israel. The strikes targeted a compound in the Katar district of Doha, where a
delegation of Hamas leaders was meeting to discuss ceasefire negotiations with
Israel, The Guardian reported.
Hours after the strikes, Hamas denied that any senior leaders were killed in the
attack. However, it confirmed that five members of the delegation were killed.
“We confirm the enemy’s failure to assassinate our brothers in the negotiating
delegation. Meanwhile, a number of our brothers have ascended as martyrs to the
highest ranks of glory. They are: Martyr Jihad Labad (Abu Bilal) – Director of
Dr. Khalil al-Hayya’s Office, the Martyr Humam al-Hayya (Abu Yahya) – Son of Dr.
Khalil al-Hayya, the Martyr Abdullah Abdul Wahid (Abu Khalil), the Martyr Moamen
Hassouna (Abu Omar), the Martyr Ahmed al-Mamluk (Abu Malik),” the statement
said.
Army Radio correspondent Daron Kadosh reported that Israeli security officials
said the strike in Qatar was not in direct response to the Hamas shooting attack
that killed six people in Jerusalem on September 8. This detail contradicts what
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Israel Katz said when
they asserted that the plan to strike Hamas leaders was made due to the
Jerusalem shooting.
Instead, Israeli security officials claimed that the timing of the strikes was
driven by an intelligence opportunity when senior Hamas leaders gathered in
Doha. Sources noted that such a high-level meeting of Hamas’s negotiating team
was rare and reportedly prompted by a US proposal—raising questions over whether
the proposal was intended to draw them together.
Officials added that Hamas leaders abroad operate secretly, even in Qatar, and
have tightened security since the Israeli campaign to take out Iran’s nuclear
facilities.
Despite the denial of high-level casualties from Hamas, Israeli officials have
said that they are “awaiting” confirmation of whether the strikes eliminated
members of the Islamist group’s leadership, Amit Segal, the chief political
analyst at N12 News, reported.
Qatar condemned the strike as a “cowardly” violation of international law and an
assault on its sovereignty. Regional powers, including Saudi Arabia, joined Doha
in demanding accountability and defending the diplomatic process. At the
Vatican, Pope Leo voiced concern, calling the situation “very serious.”
*Joe Truzman is an editor and senior research analyst at FDD’s Long War Journal
focused primarily on Palestinian armed groups and non-state actors in the Middle
East.
Israel’s Strike on Hamas in Qatar is a Game-Changer
Seth J. Frantzman/National Security Journal./September 11, 2025
https://nationalsecurityjournal.org/israels-strike-on-hamas-in-qatar-is-a-game-changer/
On September 9, Israel carried out a strike targeting Hamas leaders in Qatar.
The brazen daylight attack took place in Doha, the capital of a major non-NATO
ally. The attack came after more than 700 days of war in Gaza, a war that began
with the Hamas attack on Israel on October 7, 2023. The war has led to the
deaths of more than 900 soldiers, four of them killed on September 8. According
to the Hamas-run Health Ministry in Gaza, more than 64,000 people have been
killed in Gaza. The strike on Qatar could lead to a new era in the Middle East
if Doha, Jerusalem, Washington, and others seize the opportunity.
The White House has said in the wake of the raid that this could open the door
for peace. To do that will mean addressing the future of Hamas’s role and the
war in Gaza.
Far-Reaching Conflict
This has been a devastating and unprecedented war. Israel has fought on multiple
fronts, defeating Hezbollah in November 2024 and also clobbering Iran in a
12-day war in June. The Israeli military has also eliminated most of the Houthi
rebel government in Yemen. The weakening of Hezbollah also likely led to the
toppling of the Assad regime in Syria in December 2024. These important shifts
have fundamentally remade the Middle East. Regions like the Middle East undergo
significant changes due to major events. For instance, the Islamic Revolution in
Iran in 1979 set off substantial changes in the region. The end of the Cold War
and the Iraqi invasion of Kuwait lifted a curtain on a new US-led world order.
By committing troops to eject Saddam Hussein from Kuwait, the US began a
multi-decade commitment to the Middle East that has led to the kind of strategic
military architecture that now exists. One of the key nodes in that strategy is
the US Al Udeid base in Qatar. The base is a symbol of how the US shifted forces
out of Saudi Arabia after the 1991 Gulf War and moved them to the smaller Gulf
States. US Central Command’s posture in the region is a result of these changes.
Allies Harboring Hamas Leaders
Israel’s attack on Hamas in Qatar was a long time coming. Hamas leaders have
resided in Doha for more than a decade. Prior to moving to Doha, some of them
lived in Jordan, Egypt, Syria, and Lebanon. They also travelled to Turkey, a
NATO ally. Hamas felt secure in the region.
Instead of moderating, Hamas became emboldened. This bolster led to the October
7 attack, a devastating massacre that Hamas knew would lead to a massive war.
The fact that Hamas leaders were living in Doha, a US ally, and involved in
massacring 1,000 people in Israel, another US ally, in retrospect seems
incredibly bizarre. However, the Taliban, which was fighting the US in
Afghanistan, also had offices in Qatar for many years before returning to power.
These contradictions have been hallmarks of the last decades in the region.
Osama Bin Laden emerged from countries that had close ties to the US. However,
after 9/11, it became clear that the era of appeasing extremists in the Middle
East must change. Many countries have cracked down on extremism as a result.
Hamas is an outlier in this respect. It has not moderated because US allies
hosted it; instead, it became more extreme. In fact, Israeli media reports at
Ynet indicate Hamas leaders in Doha may have been making peace talks more
difficult. If this is true, it is because they were not exposed to the brutal
fighting in Gaza. Gaza and its two million inhabitants were only a pawn in a
significant conflict for them.
Israel vs. Hamas: What Happens Now?
It’s possible that the September 9 strike on Hamas in Doha could now be seen to
close a curtain on decades in which Hamas felt safe abroad and felt it could
fuel wars while not suffering the consequences. What that means is that now
Hamas might need to think twice about using Gaza as a pawn. Qatar might also
rethink its strategy in hosting groups such as Hamas. For years, Doha invested
in Gaza, helping with reconstruction and aiding the Palestinians. The Hamas
attack on Israel destroyed all that investment. Perhaps a new strategy that
prizes stability over conflict could change the trajectory in Gaza.
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said on September 9 that the US
views Qatar as a strong ally and friend. At the same time, President Donald
Trump wants the 48 hostages held by Hamas in Gaza to be freed. The White House
has hinted that it understands the problem of having Hamas in Doha. However, the
US and other countries don’t want to see Doha bombed or its sovereignty
violated. This presents a contradiction. Eliminating and defeating Hamas can
bring the war in Gaza to an end. The war has led to instability around the
region. When it ends, it will take years to reconstruct Gaza. That means that
every day the war goes on, the inevitable post-war period is also extended.
Israel’s willingness to go after Hamas in Qatar shows it continues to be willing
to break taboos in the region. It did the same thing by striking Iran.
For decades, the Middle East has been destabilized by groups that have hijacked
the Israel-Palestinian conflict for their own ends. Chief among these groups was
the network of Iranian proxies. However, Hamas also played a key role in
sabotaging peace and creating cycles of destruction in Gaza through endless
wars.The Palestinian Authority, by contrast, has sought to reduce threats to
Israel in the West Bank. There is a chance now for a strategic rethink regarding
Hamas. Some countries saw backing Hamas as gaining leverage in the conflict. The
efficacy of these decisions has now blown up in everyone’s faces in the region.
Most countries want to turn a corner on the last decades of war. Syria and
Lebanon are two examples of countries being freed from being hijacked as part of
the war against Israel. Countries that backed Hamas have lost out. The terrorist
group became a sunk cost, and it’s worthwhile for Doha and other countries to
see it this way and use the September 9 airstrike as a reason to move in a new
direction.
**Seth Frantzman is the author of The October 7 War: Israel’s Battle for
Security in Gaza (2024) and an adjunct fellow at The Foundation for Defense of
Democracies. He is a Senior Middle East Analyst for The Jerusalem Post. Seth is
now a National Security Journal Contributing Editor.
Sudan's Hidden War: Muslim Brotherhood's Grip on Army Threatens
Regional Stability, Global Trade
Anna Mahjar-Barducci/Gatestone Institute/September 11/2025
Sudan's brutal civil war... is not just a clash between the Sudanese Armed
Forces (SAF) and their former military allies turned rivals, the Rapid Support
Forces (RSF). It is a calculated power grab by the Muslim Brotherhood, which
appears to be using the SAF as a Trojan horse to dominate northeast Africa and
the Red Sea, a critical artery for global commerce.
The Muslim Brotherhood, sponsored by Qatar, appears to be hijacking the SAF to
stage a takeover, recycling old alliances under new guises. Despite recent
concessions to the United States and Egypt, the Muslim Brotherhood's grip in
Sudan -- backed by Qatar and Iran -- threatens regional and global stability,
potentially including freedom of passage in the Red Sea.
[T]he Muslim Brotherhood — known in Sudan as the Islamic Movement — has
entrenched itself in the SAF, and turned it into a tool for their regional
ambitions to take control of northeast Africa and the Red Sea.
The Muslim Brotherhood is not just allied with the SAF; individuals in it seem
to be steering the SAF to take total control of Sudan in order to make it the
Muslim Brotherhood's stronghold in Africa and the Middle East.
The SAF is infiltrated by jihadist factions such as the Al-Bara Bin Malik
Brigade (the Muslim Brotherhood's local military arm), the Bunyan Al-Marsous
Brigade, and Justice and Equality Movement rebels led by Finance Minister Jibril
Ibrahim. These groups, tied to Bashir's ruthless National Intelligence and
Security Service, frame their fight as a "jihad" against the RSF, which is
backed by Sudan's secular civil society.
Ali Ahmed Karti, the U.S.-sanctioned Islamic Movement leader, is, as reported by
Arab media outlets, a key orchestrator of the SAF-Muslim Brotherhood alliance.
Since his student days, Karti has organized Brotherhood loyalists in the army,
and later packed the SAF with jihadists.
One analyst suggested that the five generals were dismissed after Burhan met
with U.S. Special Envoy Mossad Boulos in Switzerland, on August 11, 2025.
Researcher Mujahid Ahmed, however, warns that the Muslim Brotherhood's influence
persists, extending into civilian institutions, especially the foreign affairs
and justice ministries. According to the Ayin Network, Al-Burhan apparently
still relies on Karti and Bashir's loyalist, Ahmed Haroun, for battlefield
support, indicating a tactical, not total, break.
Iran has been supplying the Muslim Brotherhood-SAF axis with arms, including
Ababil-3 and Mohajer-6 drones, which were delivered to Port Sudan in March and
June 2024. Satellite imagery viewed by the BBC confirms their presence at a
military site near Khartoum. Iran's support of this Muslim Brotherhood-SAF axis,
tied to its ambitions to have a presence in the Red Sea, coincides with the
Brotherhood's goals: namely, threatening U.S. allies such as Israel, Saudi
Arabia and Egypt.
Burhan's "cosmetic" purge of Islamist generals shows that indeed he can be
influenced by Egypt and by the United States, but his reliance on the Muslim
Brotherhood's financial and military support limits his ability to implement any
real reforms.
Sudan is evidently very much a part of the Muslim Brotherhood's global agenda.
Ignoring events there will only allow a hostile stronghold to emerge in a region
strategically vital for the interests of the West.
Sudan's brutal civil war is not just a clash between the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF)
and their former military allies turned rivals, the Rapid Support Forces (RSF).
It is a calculated power grab by the Muslim Brotherhood. Sudanese Armed Forces
leader General Abdel Fattah Al-Burhan's "cosmetic" purge of Islamist generals
shows that indeed he can be influenced by Egypt and by the U.S. but his reliance
on the Muslim Brotherhood's financial and military support limits his ability to
implement any real reforms. Pictured: Burhan in Gedaref State, Sudan, on April
10, 2024. (Photo by AFP via Getty Images)
Sudan's brutal civil war, often overshadowed by global headlines, is not just a
clash between the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and their former military allies
turned rivals, the Rapid Support Forces (RSF). It is a calculated power grab by
the Muslim Brotherhood, which appears to be using the SAF as a Trojan horse to
dominate northeast Africa and the Red Sea, a critical artery for global
commerce.
Despite recent moves by SAF leader General Abdel Fattah Al-Burhan to curb
Islamist influence, presumably at the request of the United States or Egypt, the
efforts of the Muslim Brotherhood, which has deep roots in his army, to achieve
control of Sudan, northeast Africa and the Red Sea, signal a dangerous threat
that could disrupt oil supplies, inflate global prices, and revive Sudan as a
terrorist hub, imperiling Western interests.
The Muslim Brotherhood, sponsored by Qatar, appears to be hijacking the SAF to
stage a takeover, recycling old alliances under new guises. Despite recent
concessions to the United States and Egypt, the Muslim Brotherhood's grip in
Sudan -- backed by Qatar and Iran -- threatens regional and global stability,
potentially including freedom of passage in the Red Sea. The U.S. would do well
to intensify sanctions, diplomatic pressure, and support regional actors in
efforts to dismantle these networks.
The Muslim Brotherhood's influence is increasingly recognized as a global threat
by governments in countries such as the United States and France. A May 21, 2025
report requested by the French government on the Muslim Brotherhood's role in
France and Europe, detailed the threats posed by the Islamist movement shaping
"parallel Islamic ecosystems," challenging Western secular values.
A Legacy of Islamist Control
Sudan's descent into chaos began in 1989, when General Omar Al-Bashir, backed by
the Muslim Brotherhood's National Islamic Front, seized power. For three
decades, his regime orchestrated genocides in South Sudan and Darfur, sheltered
Osama bin Laden from 1992 to 1997, and enabled Al-Qaeda's attacks, including the
1998 U.S. Embassy bombings in Kenya and Tanzania. Bashir's regime also funneled
Iranian missiles to Hamas in the Gaza Strip, and supported Lord's Resistance
Army in Uganda, making Sudan a global extremist stronghold.
The 2019 ouster of Al-Bashir had sparked hopes for democracy, but Burhan's 2021
coup against the transitional government and the 2023 war with the RSF, which
wanted to defeat Burhan and his Muslim Brotherhood allies and take over the
country, crushed those dreams. Beneath the surface, the Muslim Brotherhood —
known in Sudan as the Islamic Movement — has entrenched itself in the SAF, and
turned it into a tool for their regional ambitions to take control of northeast
Africa and the Red Sea.
The Muslim Brotherhood is not just allied with the SAF; individuals in it seem
to be steering the SAF to take total control of Sudan in order to make it the
Muslim Brotherhood's stronghold in Africa and the Middle East.
Sudan, at the crossroads of Sub-Saharan Africa and the Middle East, happens to
be in an extremely critical strategic position. It has access to the Red Sea and
vital trade routes such as the Suez Canal, and is also a crucial transit point
for migrants traveling from the Horn of Africa and the Sahel to North Africa,
then on to Europe.
The SAF is infiltrated by jihadist factions such as the Al-Bara Bin Malik
Brigade (the Muslim Brotherhood's local military arm), the Bunyan Al-Marsous
Brigade, and Justice and Equality Movement rebels led by Finance Minister Jibril
Ibrahim. These groups, tied to Bashir's ruthless National Intelligence and
Security Service, frame their fight as a "jihad" against the RSF, which is
backed by Sudan's secular civil society.
Social media videos show the Al-Bara Bin Malik Brigade, in Omdurman, halting RSF
advances and bolstering SAF operations in Khartoum. A retired officer told the
media that Islamic extremists have filled critical infantry gaps. Ali Ahmed
Karti, the U.S.-sanctioned Islamic Movement leader, is, as reported by Arab
media outlets, a key orchestrator of the SAF-Muslim Brotherhood alliance. Since
his student days, Karti has organized Brotherhood loyalists in the army, and
later packed the SAF with jihadists.
Reports in the Saudi newspaper Asharq Al-Awsat reveal that after 1989, the
leadership of the Muslim Brotherhood in Sudan, which was aligned with the Bashir
government, purged thousands of non-fundamentalist officers, assassinating some,
and took control of admissions to the Military Colleges. By 2019, the SAF was
ideologically aligned with the Muslim Brotherhood.
It was Karti's ideological influence that apparently derailed the possibility of
a civilian-led transitional government in Sudan after the October 2021 military
coup. Karti also unleashed jihadist battalions, which were rebranded as Burhan's
"Popular Resistance."
This summer, there seemed to be cracks in the alliance between the SAF and the
Muslim Brotherhood. In August, Burhan fired five senior generals who are Islamic
extremists, including General Nasreddin, head of the SAF Armored Corps, whom the
Muslim Brotherhood had reportedly been grooming as a potential successor to
Burhan. One analyst suggested that the five generals were dismissed after Burhan
met with U.S. Special Envoy Mossad Boulos in Switzerland, on August 11, 2025.
Researcher Mujahid Ahmed, however, warns that the Muslim Brotherhood's influence
persists, extending into civilian institutions, especially the foreign affairs
and justice ministries. According to the Ayin Network, Al-Burhan apparently
still relies on Karti and Bashir's loyalist, Ahmed Haroun, for battlefield
support, indicating a tactical, not total, break.
Iran's Arms and Qatar's Role
Iran has been supplying the Muslim Brotherhood-SAF axis with arms, including
Ababil-3 and Mohajer-6 drones, which were delivered to Port Sudan in March and
June 2024. Satellite imagery viewed by the BBC confirms their presence at a
military site near Khartoum. Iran's support of this Muslim Brotherhood-SAF axis,
tied to its ambitions to have a presence in the Red Sea, coincides with the
Brotherhood's goals: namely, threatening U.S. allies such as Israel, Saudi
Arabia and Egypt.
Why It Matters to the West
The Red Sea handles 10-15% of the world's maritime commerce, including vital oil
and gas shipments. In a conflict, the Muslim Brotherhood-controlled Sudan, using
the SAF as a proxy, could choke this route as the Houthis have been doing,
thereby spiking prices and impairing American and other economies. The Muslim
Brotherhood's ties to Al-Qaeda and the Islamic State risk turning Sudan into a
terrorist base targeting Western and allied Middle Eastern interests.
Trump's Sudan Gamble
The Trump administration is navigating a tightrope, trying, it seems, to balance
Egypt's pro-SAF stance. Egypt is actively supporting the SAF to bolster its
stability as a national institution, while simultaneously working to curb the
influence of the Muslim Brotherhood and its sponsor, Qatar. Ayin Network noted
that Egypt insists "the SAF must remain central to any post-war political
order." Burhan's "cosmetic" purge of Islamist generals shows that he can indeed
be influenced by Egypt and by the United States, but his reliance on the Muslim
Brotherhood's financial and military support limits his ability to implement any
reforms
A Global Wake-Up Call
Sudan is evidently very much a part of the Muslim Brotherhood's global agenda.
Ignoring events there will only allow a hostile stronghold to emerge in a region
strategically vital for the interests of the West.
© 2025 Gatestone Institute. All rights reserved. The articles printed here do
not necessarily reflect the views of the Editors or of Gatestone Institute. No
part of the Gatestone website or any of its contents may be reproduced, copied
or modified, without the prior written consent of Gatestone Institute.
Trump’s Pivot to the Gulf
David SchenkerWashington Insitute/published on September 09/2025
https://www.washingtoninstitute.org/policy-analysis/trumps-pivot-gulf
President Trump’s first official scheduled trip abroad was all about investment.
In terms of deliverables, the Gulf tour was a resounding success. But the
significance of the trip extended well beyond economic dividends for the US.
President Trump’s first official scheduled trip abroad was all about investment.
According to the White House, the president secured a total of $2 trillion in
deals during his May 2025 visits to Riyadh, Doha, and Abu Dhabi. No doubt, some
of the agreements—especially those related to the export of advanced microchip
technology—were controversial. In terms of deliverables, however, the Gulf tour
was a resounding success. But the significance of the trip extended well beyond
economic dividends for the US.
At the risk of ascribing some sort of grand strategy to the Trump
Administration, the trip represents a dramatic departure from Washington’s
traditional Middle East focus on the Levant toward the Arabian Gulf. While the
energy-rich Gulf was always the economic epicenter of the region for the US, for
nearly half a century Washington has largely concentrated its diplomatic and
political capital on the Fertile Crescent. The increased concentration on the
Gulf has benefits, and potential risks for US interests in the region.
This policy reorientation—consistent with the approach during his first
term—clearly reflects President Trump’s transactionalist bent, his unabashed
preference for states that can provide something to the US over important and
helpful but dependent beneficiary debtor states. At the same time, the shift in
the center of gravity mirrors the rising influence and economic and diplomatic
importance of Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates and the diminished
stature of Egypt. The increased emphasis on the Gulf also echoes Trump’s shift
away from Egypt and Jordan and towards Israel’s partners in the Abraham Accords.
Another factor underpinning the US regional pivot appears to be Trump’s
appreciation for the Gulf’s “transformation” project. The president discussed
the changes at length during his May 13 speech in Riyadh, where he described
“a new generation of leaders…forging a future where the Middle East is defined
by commerce, not chaos; where it exports technology, not terrorism; and where
the people of different nations, religions, and creeds are building cities
together, not bombing each other out of existence.”
Importantly for Trump, who is a proud nativist, the changes were concordant with
local customs. “Peace, prosperity and progress,” he noted, “ultimately came not
from a radical rejection of your heritage, but rather from embracing your
national traditions.” For Trump, the Gulf represents a model for the entire
region of how to build societies with flourishing economies, higher standards of
living, and more freedom. And the birth of this new, modern Middle East, he
observed approvingly, was not the result of US intervention, but had “been
brought by the people of the region themselves.”
To be sure, Trump is right about the remarkable progress made in the Gulf. The
region today is among the most dynamic in the world in terms of technological
advancement, economic diversification, and social progress. Likewise, in recent
years, Gulf States have eclipsed Egypt and Jordan as the principal destination
for US diplomatic initiatives and mediation efforts, whether related to Hamas,
Iran, the Houthis, or Ukraine. To wit, Egypt’s March 2025 proposal to
reconstruct Gaza—which lacked suggestions on governance and security—died on the
vine due to Saudi and Emirati disinterest.
It bears mention, of course, that while Saudi, UAE, Qatar, Bahrain, and Oman
deserve credit for their accomplishments, these states do not represent a viable
development model for most of the region. The undeniable progress in these
states was in large part possible because of large reserves of oil and natural
gas, and substantial associated sovereign wealth funds.
While the appeal of the Gulf to Trump is understandable, a precipitous swing
could have implications for US interests in the region. The Administration’s
principal objectives in the region are the promotion of peace and stability,
denying Iran a nuclear weapon, constraining Tehran’s regional proxies, enlarging
the Abraham Accords, and expanding US commercial opportunities. Many of these
goals are necessarily focused in the Gulf—but they are also connected to the
Arab countries of the Levant and its vicinity. Indeed, as the Gaza war
demonstrated, instability in the Levant still has the potential to destabilize
the whole region and impact Gulf states’ own objectives.
The US shift to the Gulf has affected Washington’s other regional partners
unevenly. Despite concerns that the Administration’s rescission bill would
curtail funding to Jordan and Egypt, both states emerged from the appropriations
process intact. In 2026, Jordan and Egypt will receive roughly the same amount
of US military and budget support that they did in 2025, $1.65 billion and $1.45
billion respectively.
Other important US partner states were not as fortunate. Lebanon, which is in
the sixth year of a catastrophic economic crisis and where the armed forces are
currently in the initial stages of disarming the Iran-backed proxy terrorist
organization Hezbollah, could see US military and economic assistance zeroed-out
from $239 million last year. Meanwhile Iraq, which has its own Iran-backed
militia problem and the remnants of the Islamic State to contend with, also
appears to have lost out on US military funding. With the possible exception of
the Kurdish Peshmerga Forces, US assistance seems poised to wind down in 2026.
Baghdad has its own complicated relationship with local Iranian proxy militias.
It also has significant oil reserves and financial resources, which it squanders
on a statist economy that defies reform. Lebanon is another story. At the
insistence of Washington, Beirut appears poised to task the Lebanese Armed
Forces to confront Hezbollah. It’s a big undertaking, for an under-resourced
force. At present, Qatar is provisioning the force with fuel and augmenting LAF
salaries, which have been decimated by a 98% currency devaluation. The absence
of US funds to support this Washington-driven mission is counterproductive. A
bigger challenge in the Levant, however, is the absence of continuous robust
American diplomacy. Many Gulf state leaders seem content with periodic phone
calls with Trump and the occasional visit of the president’s most trusted
advisor Steve Witkoff. Trump has also met with Jordan’s King Abdullah and spoken
with him—and Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al Sisi—on the phone. While other
presidential envoys have visited Lebanon and Egypt, and Secretary of State Marco
Rubio has met and spoken with senior officials in the Levant, almost eight
months into the Administration, there doesn’t appear to be other ongoing
high-level USG contact with the region on important but less-pressing matters.
State Department layoffs and a dearth of confirmed and appointed officials in
the front office of State’s Near East Affairs Bureau have limited the
department’s reach. Perhaps the centralization of Middle East policy in the
White House is intentional. The problem is that Special Envoys deal with
discrete issues, while senior State Department officials handle the broad
spectrum of these bilateral relationships, matters that don’t necessarily rate
presidential consideration.
Syria is getting a lot of attention from Trump confidant, Special Envoy Tom
Barrack. Other states in the Levant, less so. Jordan is reeling from two years
of war in Gaza, and facing significant economic challenges. Egypt is punting on
IMF-mandated economic reforms, despite its financial morass. Meanwhile, Lebanon
is balking at its own promised economic reforms, required to extricate the state
from its own crisis. For its part, Iraq is moving to legally recognize
Iranian-backed militia, creating its very own version of the Islamic
Revolutionary Guard Corps. Iranian Supreme National Security Council Secretary
Ali Larijani visited Iraq in August; senior US diplomats and civilian officials
have yet to visit Baghdad during the Trump Administration.
These endemic problems will get worse, without more consistent US engagement. As
CENTCOM Commander Gen. Erik Kurilla, who, unlike senior US Washington-based
diplomats, is a frequent visitor to the region recently said, “There is no way
you can fully grasp the complexities, challenges, and opportunities of the
Middle East…without physically visiting the region.”
The Trump Administration’s pivot to the Gulf may advance US interests in the
region. But in the process, it will be important to continue to pay attention to
the Levant. The Arabian Gulf might be “the New Middle East,” but problems in
“the Old Middle East” may still set the regional agenda. To constrain Iran’s
proxies, staff an Arab contingent for a day-after plan in Gaza, and/or to
enlarge the Abraham Accords, Washington will need to work with its more
challenged partner states in the Levant.
The Doha bombing: A new step towards liquidating the Palestinian cause
Ziad Bahaa El-Din/Al-Masry Al-Youm/September 11, 2025
(Freely translated by the LCCC website from Arabic)
With the assassination attempt on Hamas negotiators in the Qatari capital the
day before yesterday, Israel has once again crossed a new red line by seeking to
eliminate those negotiating with it. This new red line is in addition to the
many others that have been crossed over the past two years: bombing hospitals,
targeting schools, preventing the entry of humanitarian aid, firing on aid
distribution centers, razing entire villages and neighborhoods, targeting
journalists, shelling safe havens, and, above all, killing more than 60,000
people and forcing two million Palestinians to emigrate. The common denominator
of these crossed red lines is the Israeli government's awareness that global and
regional circumstances permit this, and that the ultimate consequences will be
further media criticism, student demonstrations, diplomatic moves, and strongly
worded statements from governments and international organizations. Then things
continued without any real deterrence or threat to halt the ongoing war of
extermination, in full view of the world. I do not mean to belittle the efforts
made by many countries—chiefly Egypt and Qatar—to bring about a halt to the
aggression against the people of Gaza, or the supportive positions of countries
such as South Africa, Spain, Ireland, Portugal, and others in international
forums. I do not mean to belittle the courage shown by a new generation of young
people around the world in support of the people of Gaza and the Palestinian
cause, or the efforts of organizations, associations, and independent
individuals who are trying, as much as possible, to do something useful, even if
limited. All of these efforts are appreciated and respected. Unfortunately,
however, they have not changed the fact that Israel has proceeded and continues
to pursue its plans, confident that the circumstances permit it to do so: the
preoccupation of European governments with the war in Ukraine and the rise of
the extreme right; the US government with its conflict with China and its
internal affairs; the Arab world with its divisions, civil wars, and economic
crises; the absence of an official national leadership representing the
Palestinian people; and the silence of the Arab street, whether out of despair
or oppression. The attempt to eliminate the negotiators in Doha is not just
another red line to be crossed, but rather an expression of Israel's intention
to exploit these favorable circumstances to pursue a final solution to what it
considers the "Palestinian problem." The final solution is to displace a large
portion of the population of Gaza and the West Bank to neighboring Egypt and
Jordan, and from there to third countries willing to host them. The remaining
population will be kept under strict security control, used as needed as a
source of cheap labor. This will also include ending armed resistance and
eliminating any military threat from regional countries. The goal is to
establish diplomatic, economic, and tourism relations with the Arab world,
albeit from the perspective of military and technological superiority.
Eliminating the Palestinian issue is not the ultimate goal, but rather the
necessary arrangements to ensure Israel's immediate security and its long-term
supremacy and control over the region. This is not a new Israeli ambition. The
bottom line is that global and regional circumstances have allowed for more than
even the founders of the Israeli state, and even its most hardline opponents,
could have dreamed of. I fear we may be on the cusp of a new phase, the goal of
which is not to reach a settlement, a ceasefire, or a prisoner exchange, but
rather to achieve the ultimate goal that extremists in Israel dream of. This is
neither inevitable nor necessarily a foregone conclusion. However, nothing will
alter the course of Israeli aggression except a unified and strong Arab position
that supports the Palestinian people, transcends Arab divisions, uses all
available tools to pressure Israel's allies, engages with public opinion that
supports the Palestinian cause, and works to present an alternative vision for
the future.
The Story of Epstein and Intelligence Officer Menashe
Ahmed Al-Sarraf/Al-Qabas/September 11, 2025
(Freely translated by the LCCC website from Arabic)
Jeffrey Epstein is the hero of the biggest political and sex scandal in modern
history. His story requires an investigative journalist to write its exciting
chapters, which become increasingly terrifying by the day. His espionage and
sexual activities spanned several countries and dozens of powerful, wealthy, and
highly influential figures, including heads of state and world leaders, in
addition to hundreds of stunningly beautiful underage girls. Jeffrey, a Jewish,
unlicensed math teacher, was born in New York in 1953 and committed suicide in
his prison cell in 2019, at the age of 66. Despite his humble beginnings, he
amassed, often through illicit means, amassed enormous wealth and international
political influence, with the support of fierce intelligence agencies. This was
done to further the goals of his masters, the Mossad, which may have lavished
hundreds of millions of dollars on him, in addition to the money he earned from
his activities. The legitimate activities included homes worth tens of millions
of dollars, yachts, and islands, all of which contained secret cameras recording
everything that transpired within them, something almost imaginary, and which
were subsequently used to blackmail those involved. The financier Epstein was
convicted of sex crimes and the sex trafficking of underage girls, and he
cleverly used his network to build an enormously important social circle around
himself. Despite the prison sentence he received while outside the United
States, he returned voluntarily, perhaps hoping for a presidential pardon during
Trump's first term. He never received it, however. Because of the terrifying
amount of information, secrets, and scandals he possessed and documented about
his "friends" and clients, and the blackmail operations he carried out, his life
had to be ended, either by somehow pushing him to commit suicide or by having
hidden forces eliminate him. His continued existence would have posed a threat
to extremely dangerous and important systems, figures, and intelligence
agencies. It is worth noting that opening the investigation into Epstein and
revealing his client list was at the forefront of the investigation. Trump's
campaign promises, but his subsequent appointees to the Justice Department
decided to keep the file's contents away from the media.
Former Israeli intelligence officer Ari Ben-Menashe, author of "Profits of War:
Inside the Secret US-Israeli Arms Network," who played a role in revealing some
of Israel's nuclear secrets, the Contra scandal, and other matters, said in a
famous interview with Afshan Rattansi that the Israelis exploited Epstein's
"talents" and turned him into an agent. He said that the US administration is
caught in an Israeli trap that is difficult to escape, as we have seen in the US
position in Gaza, the US attack on Yemen and Iran, and the situation in Syria.
Epstein was a cog or a screw in that trap. Where did he get all that enormous
wealth he acquired? These are among the other serious and provocative questions
he raised in the interview. He explained how we are facing a terrible conspiracy
and complete collusion between the US authorities, their secret services, and
Israel. He also explained how the world's major newspaper owners built their
empire with Israeli money.
As he stated in the interview, in an indirect response to The "suspicious" local
writers who repeat the claims that the Palestinians have "always" been the
reason for the failure of all peace plans, that the Israelis have "always" been
the peace-seekers, and that President Bill Clinton almost succeeded in achieving
peace through the two-state solution after convincing Arafat and Ehud Barak of
his plan, but Epstein, under pressure from the powerful Israeli right and the
Mossad, foiled the plan in his own "own" way. Menashe also mentioned in his
interview, and also in an indirect response to the suspicious writers known for
their roles in whitewashing Israel and making it a paradise for intellectuals
and writers, who claim that those who attack their government return home safely
at the end of the day, the falsity of this absurd claim, and how Israeli
intelligence attempted to assassinate him, and that they followed him to Canada
and bombed his house, but failed to kill him. The interview is terrifying, and
Menashe's character is controversial, making him suitable for a documentary and
may be the subject of a future article. In short, the attempted assassination of
Hamas leaders in Doha Further evidence of the extent to which the US
administration is, for some reason, subservient to Israel's hidden powers!
The Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam and the
Conflict That Could Go in Any Direction
Osman Mirghani/Asharq Al Awsat/September 11/2025
Just before the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD) was officially
inaugurated two days ago, Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed reiterated
controversial statements about his country’s need for access to the sea. He
insisted that Ethiopia is determined to regain a presence on the Red Sea and
“correct the mistakes of the past.”
Is there a link between the two?
There are many reasons to believe that Abiy Ahmed’s government does not merely
see the dam as a hydroelectric project. In their minds, the dam is a step toward
turning Ethiopia into a regional power with ambitions it can pursue
unilaterally. The rhetoric of Abiy Ahmed and other Ethiopian officials about
“historic” and “water rights,” be it with regard to the Blue Nile or the Red
Sea, reinforces this assessment. Their discourse indicates that Addis Ababa
intends to reshape the regional order and as part of a push framed as the
pursuit of “historic rights” and "existential needs.”
On the eve of the dam’s inauguration, Abiy Ahmed told an interviewer that the
ceremony inaugurated a new beginning for Ethiopia’s geopolitical trajectory; the
GERD is only the beginning, as Ethiopia is capable of building more dams and
implementing additional projects to generate energy. He stressed that such
initiatives are not crimes and that Ethiopia has a legitimate right to carry
them out. In the same interview, he went on to underline his country’s
determination to reclaim access to the Red Sea after losing it following
Eritrea’s independence, calling the loss of the Assab port a “mistake” that had
been made three decades ago and “will be corrected tomorrow.”Such remarks
plainly illustrate the link between the GERD and Abiy Ahmed’s regional
ambitions. His government is becoming increasingly convinced that it can move
forward with its plans regardless of external pressures. It believes it can
shift from a defensive posture (preoccupation with civil wars, ethnic strife,
and poverty) to go on the offensive, consolidating nationalist sentiment to
entrench Ethiopia’s status as a rising power. This
approach will inevitably fuel tensions with Sudan and Egypt- the two countries
most directly concerned by projects on the Blue Nile, which provides around 80
percent of the Nile’s water. It also raises the spectre of conflict with
neighbors such as Eritrea, Somalia, and Djibouti, who are alarmed by Ethiopia’s
uncompromising rhetoric about obtaining a seaport, even if that means seizing it
through force.
Ethiopia may speak of cooperation and mutual benefit, but its policies do not
achieve it. Indeed, these policies are heightening tensions and deepening
regional suspicions. In the case of the GERD, Addis Ababa chose a unilateral
path, proceeding with the project without accommodating Egypt and Sudan’s
concerns over filling, operation, and technical monitoring. It did not
sufficiently engage with regional or international mediators to secure
compromises or a binding legal agreement either.
Now that the dam is a fait accompli, there are only two potential paths forward.
The first is cooperation: committing to the principle that negotiations are the
means for resolving disputes and reaching consensual solutions. This would
culminate in a binding agreement consistent with international law governing
shared rivers and that respects the interests and rights of all parties
concerned, which entails agreeing to guarantees regarding operation, technical
monitoring, and data-sharing. Should this be achieved, the door would open to
economic integration, with the dam becoming a collective benefit rather than a
catalyst for a conflict fraught with risks.
The second path is for Ethiopia to conclude that it can impose its regional
ambitions and achieve its objectives without concessions or real costs. The
resulting trajectory would escalate regional tensions and possibly engender
military clashes. Disputes over Nile waters with Egypt and Sudan could intersect
with tensions with Eritrea, Somalia, and Djibouti as Ethiopia insists that it
will retain maritime access “by any means necessary, including the use of
force.” In this case, Ethiopia could find itself confronting a coalition of
aggrieved neighbors, risking a broader regional struggle that could spiral into
a military conflict.
The GERD is not just a hydroelectric project. It is a turning point in the
struggle for influence and resources in the region. Ethiopia sees the dam as a
symbol of its rising ambitions and projection of new strength. Given its
nationalist discourse and recent assertions about the country’s need for access
to the sea, it is clear that Addis Ababa is willing to challenge the existing
regional order and seize what it deems its “legitimate rights,” regardless of
the risks. The cause for alarm is that, unless these pursuits are tempered by
flexible diplomacy and a recognition that negotiations are the sole path to
consensual solutions, this push could ignite conflicts that destabilize a region
already plagued by chronic unrest that is exploited by foreign powers eager to
exploit and inflame its divisions.
Slected X
tweets
For September 11/2025
Pope Leo XIV
We face moments when holding things inside can slowly consume us. Jesus teaches
us not to be afraid to cry out, as long as our cry is sincere, humble, and
directed to the Father. A cry is never pointless, if it is born of love. And it
is never ignored, if it is entrusted to God. It is one way to continue to
believe that another world is possible. #GeneralAudience
Pope Leo XIV
Jesus became poor to make us rich (2 Cor 8:9). He has shown us the way of God,
who does not reveal Himself to us in power, but in the love of a Father who
calls us into communion with Himself.
Dany A. Khalek
@DanyKalek
Lia Kalek
We are deeply saddened by the tragic and untimely death of Charlie Kirk. His
passing is not only a loss to his family and loved ones, but also to all who
admired his courage, conviction, and dedication to speaking his truth.
Charlie was a man who never shied away from sharing his opinions, beliefs, and
thoughts, even when they were met with criticism or challenge. He believed
strongly in the power of open dialogue and was willing to stand firmly for what
he felt was right. That strength of character and fearlessness in expressing his
views made him a powerful voice and a figure who inspired countless individuals.
Beyond his role as a speaker and public figure, Charlie will be remembered for
the passion and energy he brought to his work, and for his ability to connect
with people on issues he cared deeply about. While his words sometimes stirred
debate, they always reflected his sincerity and commitment to his principles.
Today we mourn his loss, and we also honor his life. We will remember Charlie
Kirk not only for what he said, but for the way he embodied conviction and the
courage to stand by his beliefs. Our thoughts and prayers are with his family,
his friends, and all who are grieving this heartbreaking loss.
May He Rest in Peace
Isaac Herzog
I am shocked by the tragic murder of Charlie Kirk. Israel has
lost a true friend and huge ally. I strongly condemn this terrible act of
violence, and together with all the Israeli people, send my thoughts and prayers
to Charlie’s wife, children, and all his loved ones.
Prime Minister of Israel
https://x.com/i/status/1965825669423657104
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu:
“Tomorrow is September 11th. We remember September 11th. On that day, Islamist
terrorists committed the worst savagery on American soil since the founding of
the United States.
Bishop Robert Barron
I first met Charlie Kirk about four years ago when I was in Phoenix for a
speaking engagement. He reached out and invited me to breakfast. I was deeply
impressed by him that day. He was a man of great intelligence, considerable
charm, and real goodness of heart.
I reconnected with him just last year, after I saw him debate twenty-five young
people who were, to put it mildly, hostile to his views. I texted him that I was
so struck by how he kept his cool and his charitable attitude in the face of
some pretty obnoxious opposition. I then asked him to appear as a guest on my
interview program, “Bishop Barron Presents,” and he eagerly accepted my
invitation. He was scheduled to come to Rochester, Minnesota in about ten days.
The last contact we had was two nights ago. After I appeared on one of the
evening news shows to talk about the Religious Liberty Commission, he texted me
and told me how much he appreciated what I said and then added, “I’m excited to
join you on your show soon. God bless you.”
That last sentence shows what was most important to Charlie. He was indeed a
great debater and also one of the best advocates in our country for civil
discourse, but he was, first and last, a passionate Christian. In fact, when we
had that breakfast in Phoenix, we didn’t talk much about politics. We talked
about theology, in which he had a deep interest, and about Christ. I know I’m
joining millions of people around the world in praying that he rests now in the
peace of the Lord.
Hussain Abdul-Hussain
Islamists Qatar, Turkey, Global Intifada are angry at how American defenses in
Doha didn’t protect Qatar against Israeli strike on Hamas.
If U.S. let Qatar down, why wait? Shut down U.S. base at Udeid and sever ties
with America. Let’s dare Doha to do it (they will NEVER do).
Robert F. Kennedy Jr
Once again, a bullet has silenced the most eloquent truth teller of an era. My
dear friend Charlie Kirk was our country's relentless and courageous crusader
for free speech. We pray for Erika and the children. Charlie is already in
paradise with the angels. We ask his prayers for our country.
YouhanaMaroun
https://x.com/i/status/1965892819874414818
If you're Christian and Jesus Christ is your Lord and Savior, these 2 threats
(Wokeism - Islamism) are combining forces to come after us. And it's time that
the Church stands and rises up against it.
Charlie Kirk
Amine Bar-Julius Iskandar
Iryna Zarutska (23) was executed for being white, and Charlie Kirk (31) was
executed for being Christian.The West is under siege. Christendom is threatened
by the convergence of Wokeism, leftism and Islamism.
Amine Bar-Julius Iskandar
https://x.com/i/status/1964776145171419186
The truth, nothing but the truth. Lebanon’s history by the Al-Mahdi schools:
Muslim Shia came to Lebanon 600 years before the Christians, and this is their
country.
Benjamin Netanyahu -
Charlie Kirk was murdered for speaking truth and defending freedom. A
lion-hearted friend of Israel, he fought the lies and stood tall for
Judeo-Christian civilization. I spoke to him only two weeks ago and invited him
to Israel. Sadly, that visit will not take place.
We lost an incredible human being. His boundless pride in America and his
valiant belief in free speech will leave a lasting impact. Rest in peace,
Charlie Kirk
Morgan Ortagus
In a political world full of people who can be quite nasty to each other,
@charliekirk11
always stood out to me as a genuinely kind soul. Incredibly smart, always
humble, and the warmest smile and laugh. Charlie and I did media together for
years and as impressive as he was on camera, he was more impressive off. My
heart goes out to his wife and children. Lifting them up in prayer. May his
memory be a blessing.
Naftali Bennett נפתלי בנט
Charlie Kirk was an extraordinary American, who achieved so much at the young
age of 31, and still, he had so much left to do.
He was a devoted man of faith, and in that faith he developed a deep-rooted
connection to the land, the people, and the God of Israel.
He took that connection and communicated it to young Americans in his inimitable
way, strengthening the bonds between our peoples for generations to come.
We in Israel are shocked to learn of his assassination at a university campus.
Political violence against those exercising their free speech rights strikes at
the heart of all of Western civilization, and must not become normalized
anywhere.
Everyone in Israel extends heartfelt condolences to Charlie’s wife and children.
And we pray for the people of the United States of America, our best friends on
Earth.
MELANIA TRUMP
Charlie’s children will be raised with stories instead of memories, photographs
instead of laughter, and silence where their father’s voice should have echoed.
Charlie Kirk’s life should serve as a symbolic reminder that compassionate
awareness elevates family, love, and country.
Mossad Commentary
Netanyahu calls out the world’s hypocrisy:
You applauded America for killing Bin Laden but condemned Israel for killing
Hamas leaders in Qatar.
The double standard is obscene.
Message to Doha is clear: stop harboring terrorists, bring them to justice or we
will.
Watch his full statement:
Stay connected, follow @MOSSADil
.
Benjamin Netanyahu - בנימין נתניהו
https://x.com/i/status/1965837519808770093
I say to Qatar and all nations who harbor terrorists, you either expel them or
you bring them to justice. Because if you don’t, we will
Hillel Neuer
https://x.com/i/status/1965859185909969022
Today at the U.N. I asked Qatar: “If you don’t want targeted bombings on
terrorists in your capital, why do you harbor terrorists in your capital? Why is
your Al Jazeera serving as Hamas' non-stop propaganda arm? Why do you act as
mediator by day, and a terror sponsor by night?”
Ben Shapiro
Like all of you, I am utterly stunned and heartbroken and sick to my soul today.
It is unimaginable to write these words. I met Charlie Kirk when he was 18 years
old, a young man so eager and determined that I immediately turned to a friend
and said, “That kid is going to be the head of the RNC one day.” Charlie became
even bigger and more important than that. It was a privilege to watch this
principled man stand up for his beliefs and create the single most important
conservative political organization in America. But more importantly, Charlie
was a good man, a man who believed in right and wrong, who stood by his Biblical
values. All of us will miss him, and I can’t imagine the pain of his beautiful
young family, and we must all pray for them. And we must pick up the baton where
Charlie left it, fighting for the things he believed in so passionately. And we
must fight for a better America - an America where good people can speak truth
and debate passionately without fear of a bullet. I weep for Charlie’s family,
and I weep for my country today. Most of all, I weep for Charlie.
Joy Lahoud
If people like Charlie Kirk are not safe in America and get silenced that
easily, I am not really sure how Christians who speak the truth in other parts
of the world can feel safe.
This is bigger than America. This is a global threat to people who speak up.
#CharlieKirk
Secretary Marco Rubio
https://x.com/i/status/1966135884446577002
On the 24th anniversary of September 11th, we remember the lives lost, the
bravery of first responders, and the unity that defined America in the face of
tragedy.
Let us honor their memory by remaining vigilant and inspired to protect our
nation and its values.
Zéna Mansour
A video shows a self-proclaimed governor praising abductors of 200Druze women,
raising concerns about official complicity.
We Demand:
1-Safe return
2-Accountability forPerpetrators
3-Independent Investigation
4-Community Support, Psychological Aid for Victims& Families
@SecRubio
Hussain Abdul-Hussain
Let's put #Israel strike on Hamas in #Qatar in perspective. Hamas vows
annihilation of Israel. Qatar hosts Hamas. If there were ties between Israel and
Qatar, Israel would have extradited the Hamas terrorists. But without ties, and
with Qatar persistent incitement against Israel, an Israeli strike on Hamas in
Qatar is the most common measure that all nations on earth have taken, in self
defense, since the rise of civilization.
How many object when Turkey strikes Kurds it considers terrorists inside Iraq
and Syria? How many objected to Houthi strikes on Gulf countries? How many
objected against Iran strikes inside Iraq (against America and Kurds) and inside
Qatar itself?
Be honest now. It's not about sovereignty infringement. It's the same old
antisemitism.