English LCCC Newsbulletin For Lebanese, Lebanese Related, Global News &
Editorials
For August 03/2026
Compiled & Prepared by: Elias Bejjani
#elias_bejjani_news
The Bulletin's Link on the lccc Site
https://eliasbejjaninews.com/aaaanewsfor2026/english.August
03.26.htm
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Bible Quotations For today
Jesus said to them, ‘Take care! Be on your guard against
all kinds of greed; for one’s life does not consist in the abundance of
possessions
Holy Gospel of Jesus Christ according to Saint Luke
12/13-21/:”Someone in the crowd said to him, ‘Teacher, tell my brother to divide
the family inheritance with me.’But he said to him, ‘Friend, who set me to be a
judge or arbitrator over you?’And he said to them, ‘Take care! Be on your guard
against all kinds of greed; for one’s life does not consist in the abundance of
possessions.’Then he told them a parable: ‘The land of a rich man produced
abundantly. And he thought to himself, “What should I do, for I have no place to
store my crops?” Then he said, “I will do this: I will pull down my barns and
build larger ones, and there I will store all my grain and my goods. And I will
say to my soul, Soul, you have ample goods laid up for many years; relax, eat,
drink, be merry.”But God said to him, “You fool! This very night your life is
being demanded of you. And the things you have prepared, whose will they be?” So
it is with those who store up treasures for themselves but are not rich towards
God.’
Titles For Latest English LCCC Lebanese & Lebanese Related
News & Editorials published on August 02-03/2026
The 81st Lebanese Army Day: A Shackled
Leadership, a Cowardly Authority, and a Home land Held Hostage by Hezbollah’s
Occupation/Elias Bejjani/August 01/2026
Erdogan the Muslim Brother is no friend of independent Lebanon.. Joseph Aoun
remains a captive of the Shiite Duo and continues to squander
opportunities/Elias Bejjani/July 31/2026
Antoine Sehnaoui Breaks the Taboo by Hosting Netanyahu: Courage Lacking in
Joseph Aoun/Elias Bejjani/July 29/2026
Lebanese Army hails officials and public for 81st anniversary greetings
Israel caught between Hezbollah retaliation and US pressure over Ali Al Taher:
The details
Israeli army claims 401st Brigade completes mission in southern Lebanon
Israel says killed several Hezbollah fighters in south Lebanon
Israel caught between Hezbollah retaliation and US pressure over Ali Al Taher:
The details
Acting UN coordinator for Lebanon says army has 'trust of the int'l community'
UN says Israeli demolitions in Lebanon 'deeply concerning'
LBCI sources: Former Central Bank governor Riad Salameh begins hunger strike,
demands transfer from Roumieh Prison
Patriarch al-Rahi calls for swift reconstruction, says state must remain sole
authority
Lebanon’s electricity crisis: From Egyptian gas hopes to Turkish power plans
World Lebanese Cultural Union (WLCU) at a Crossroads/Pierre A. Maroun/August
02/2026
Washington's Blessing Manifests Itself in Rome/Alan Sarkis/Nidaa Al Watan/August
3, 2026
It feels like only yesterday/Dr. Elie Youssef Al-Aqouri/Mont Lebanon
Website/August 2, 2026
Hezbollah's Tunnels: Successive Governments Are Complicit and Responsible/Jean
Al-Faghali/Nidaa Al-Watan/August 3, 2026
Metropolitan Elias Audi: The wound of the Beirut port explosion is still open
Titles For The Latest English LCCC Miscellaneous Reports And News
published on August 02-03/2026
Scoop: MBS raises concerns over Trump's plans for massive Iran strikes
Trump says US, Israel to hold off on Iran strikes
Mediators are seeking to revive US-Iran MoU, Iranian MP says
MBS urges efforts to prevent region from being dragged into wider conflict in
Trump call
Iranian media deny Trump claim that Tehran asked US not to strike
Iran foreign ministry says close to deal with Oman on Hormuz route
Report: Araghchi agrees to deal to reopen Hormuz
Israeli strikes kill eight in Gaza overnight
Spain's N. Africa enclave returns to normal as migrants depart
Heat triggers fire at major Iraqi military base, defense ministry says
Venezuela, Dominican Republic agree to restore ties after dispute over Maduro
Death toll from migrant rush into Ceuta rises to 72
OPEC+ to increase oil production by 188,000 bpd in September
Titles For The Latest English LCCC analysis & editorials
from miscellaneous sources published
on August 02-03/2026
Iraq must choose the Arab path before it is too late/Hani Hazaimeh/Arab
News/August 02, 2026
Erdogan's Courtship of President Trump/Con Coughlin/Gatestone Institute/August
02/2026
Battle to dismantle Iran’s IRGC geography: From Yemen to the Levant/Raghida
Dergham/Al Arabiya English/02 August ,2026
Trump cozies up to one ally and sours on another/Con Coughlin/Al-Majalla/August
02, 2026
How does Hamas’ declaration change the equation in Gaza?/TAREK ALI AHMAD/Arab
News/August 02/2026
Selected Face Book & X tweets on August 02/2026
Latest English LCCC Lebanese & Lebanese Related News &
Editorials published on August 02-03/2026
The 81st Lebanese Army Day: A Shackled Leadership, a Cowardly Authority,
and a Homeland Held Hostage by Hezbollah’s Occupation
Elias Bejjani/August 01/2026
https://eliasbejjaninews.com/2026/08/156378/
On the 81st anniversary of the Lebanese Army, a heartfelt salute goes out to the
military institution—its ranks and personnel—and a thousand mercies upon the
souls of its righteous martyrs who offered their blood as pure sacrifices on the
altar of the Land of Cedars.
However, on this national day, no free and sovereign Lebanese can stand idly by
without raising their voice high, ringing out like the voice of John the Baptist
in the wilderness, to strongly condemn the inaction and cowardice of the
political and military leadership that paralyzes the army’s role and prevents it
from performing its supreme duty to liberate Lebanon from the Iranian occupation
represented by Hezbollah.
From this perspective, today’s congratulations are exclusively for the personnel
and soldiers, while it is a scathing indictment—free of complacency,
subservience, or blindness—directed at the military leadership, the President of
the Republic, and the Council of Ministers.
The Lebanese Army possesses competence, capabilities, and courage, but its role
is sidelined and restricted because its political and military leadership
remains subservient to the hegemony of the Iranian occupation and its local
tools (the Amal-Hezbollah Shiites dualism). This enemy not only targets Lebanon
as a whole, but also takes the esteemed Shiites community hostage, abducting it
to serve the absurd, hallucinated, and suicidal project of Iran’s mullahs.
Accordingly, all free people in Lebanon and the diaspora are called upon today
to:
*Raise their voices in condemnation, using all available local, regional, and
international means, against the inaction of both the political and military
leadership.
*Demand immediate action from the leadership to either fully perform their
constitutional duties to liberate the land, or resign immediately.
As for the poetic, parrot-like glorification of the army, and turning a blind
eye to the tutelage and occupation system that shackles it and prevents it from
implementing international resolutions and extending state sovereignty over the
entirety of the national territory—this is a disgrace, a crime, and an
unforgivable sin.
The author, Elias Bejjani, is a Lebanese expatriate activist
Author’s Email: Phoenicia@hotmail.com
Author’s Website:
https://eliasbejjaninews.com
Erdogan the Muslim Brother is no friend of independent Lebanon.. Joseph
Aoun remains a captive of the Shiite Duo and continues to squander opportunities
Elias Bejjani/July 31/2026
https://eliasbejjaninews.com/2026/07/156335/
President Joseph Aoun's visit to Turkey today was ill-fated, neither in its
suspicious timing nor in its superficial approaches to the Lebanese and regional
situation. In short, this visit constitutes a deliberate blindness to the
priority of liberating Lebanon from the odious Iranian occupation and the
hegemony of the Shiite Duo (Hezbollah and Amal).
As for his speech before Recep Tayyip Erdogan—known for his adoption of Muslim
Brotherhood and jihadist ideologies and his entrenched hostility toward true
peace—it completely ignored the reality of the terrorist Hezbollah and the
disguised Iranian occupation, while parroting the worn-out, monotonous record
chewed on around the clock by Nabih Berri, which sings of:
*An Israeli withdrawal from all Lebanese territories.
*The return of our displaced people to their villages, alongside their return to
the embrace of their state and homeland.
*Reconstruction, economic recovery, and the restoration of fragile confidence in
the state.
Securing the exclusive sovereignty of our legitimate armed forces alone, to
protect every inch of our land and *all our people within the framework of a
single state, a single army, and a single sovereign decision.
What is truly strange and deplorable is that Aoun did not dare utter the name of
"Hezbollah," completely ignoring Iran's destructive and cancerous role in the
Lebanese entity.
What is truly saddening is Joseph Aoun's sovereign and independent reality;
since his very first day at the Baabda Palace, he chose—perhaps within the
framework of grey arrangements and compromises as promoted by Hezbollah—to
surrender his neck as a hostage, remaining captive and bound to the directives,
policies, and edicts of a team of "deposit" advisers who are foreign and
alienated from everything connected to the culture of independence, freedom, and
absolute sovereignty.
Aoun apparently chose to appease the executioner at the expense of the victim,
turning a blind eye to the reality that Hezbollah and Nabih Berri hold the
levers of actual decision-making, thus remaining incapable of pulling the
republic out of the depths of collapse.
In short, it has become certain that under Joseph Aoun's presidency and the
government of advisors, the harvest of his term will be darnel, not wheat, and
the Lebanese will not experience with him any glimmer of salvation from Nabih
Berri's mini-state, nor from Hezbollah's occupation and violation of the
country... And the more things change, the more they stay the same.
The author, Elias Bejjani, is a Lebanese expatriate activist
Author’s Email: Phoenicia@hotmail.com
Author’s Website:
https://eliasbejjaninews.com
Antoine Sehnaoui Breaks the Taboo by Hosting
Netanyahu: Courage Lacking in Joseph Aoun
Elias Bejjani/July 29/2026
https://eliasbejjaninews.com/2026/07/156317/
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zp5pithqgrk
Bravo, and a thousand bravos to Antoine Sehnaoui, who shattered one of the
heretical and terrorist taboos imposed on the Lebanese by the merchants of the
"resistance" lie, ignorant pan-Arabists, demonic nationalists, and criminal,
jihadi political Islam.
Sehnaoui broke the taboo of meeting Israeli leaders openly and before the eyes
of the entire world by hosting Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu at his table in
the presence of dozens of political and media figures.
This courageous act was required of president Joseph Aoun; instead, Aoun
continues to polish the history and image of the terrorist-jihadist Hezbollah,
still justifying its existence under the pretext of the "Israeli occupation,"
despite his absolute knowledge—and that of his advisory deposits—that Hezbollah
is an Iranian military corps affiliated with the Islamic Revolutionary Guard
Corps, having no connection whatsoever, near or far, to Palestine, Jerusalem, or
any other matter concerning Arabs, liberation, or resistance.
A genuine pursuit of peace and openness to realistic solutions within a changing
regional and global environment is the only way out to save Lebanon from
collapse. This stands in total contrast to the ideologies of absurd wars that
undermine the concept of national sovereignty whenever an armed faction
monopolizes the decision of war and peace.
The scum of the Party of Satan, Hezbollah utilizing lawyers such as Wassef
Harakeh, filed a lawsuit against Sehnaoui, driven by malice, hatred, stupidity,
and blind allegiance to their masters, the mullahs of Iran.
To this day, the judiciary of the Land of Cedars remains hostage to Iranian
agents and their militia intimidation, rendering worthless any ruling issued by
it—especially by the Military Tribunal, which serves as a tool in the hands of
successive occupying forces (from the Palestinian to the Syrian to the Iranian).
The free people of Lebanon are called upon to congratulate Antoine Sehnaoui on
his courage and distinguished initiative, for he defied demonic taboos and took
a bold step toward breaking the deadlock.
As for real accountability, it must target all those who cling to stupid,
backward taboos that serve neither Lebanon, nor peace, nor any principle of
freedom and openness.
Author’s Email: Phoenicia@hotmail.com
Author’s Website:
https://eliasbejjaninews.com
Lebanese Army hails officials and public for 81st
anniversary greetings
LBCI/August
02/2026
The Lebanese Army Command thanked everyone who extended congratulations to the
military institution on the occasion of the Army’s 81st anniversary. In a
statement, it expressed its gratitude to “President Joseph Aoun, Speaker of
Parliament Nabih Berri, Prime Minister Nawaf Salam, former presidents, religious
leaders, current and former ministers and MPs, diplomatic missions, political
party leaders, security and administrative officials, heads of economic and
labor bodies, and religious, judicial, social, political, municipal,
educational, media and artistic figures, as well as the Lebanese people in
general,” for their expressions of affection and confidence in the military
institution. The Army Command wished the Lebanese people “reassurance and
peace,” and Lebanon “stability and prosperity.”
Israel caught between Hezbollah retaliation and US pressure
over Ali Al Taher: The details
LBCI/August
02/2026
The Israeli government has officially remained silent on U.S. President Donald
Trump’s decision to call off his planned large-scale attack on Iran. Israel,
which had placed itself on the highest state of alert, had also conducted drills
to refuel U.S. aircraft stationed in Tel Aviv midair in preparation for the
strike. Israel fears an unstable agreement between Washington and Tehran, while
also closely monitoring Hezbollah and Iran’s position on Israel’s continued
implementation of its target bank in Lebanon, particularly its intention to
destroy the tunnels in the Ali Al Taher hill. The uncertainty stems from
expectations within Israel that the destruction of these tunnels could prompt an
exceptional response from Iran and Hezbollah. To deter such reactions, Energy
Minister Eli Cohen warned that Israel would not tolerate any attack against it.
An ongoing debate is taking place in Israel over the destruction of the Ali Al
Taher tunnels.
Military officials view the operation as dangerous and sensitive, saying it
cannot be carried out without sending soldiers into the tunnels. They expect
Hezbollah operatives to be present there, making clashes and ambushes likely and
posing a risk to the lives of Israeli soldiers.
Israeli military officials say the concern is not limited to the expected
response, but also includes the risk of a new crisis with Washington, which does
not want an escalation on the ground, as demonstrated by its postponement of the
strike on Iran.
Trump’s shifting decisions have become a logistical nightmare, according to
observers, who said Israelis are losing confidence in their government, which
has been accused of being unable to ensure their national security. A poll found
that 54% of Israelis believe the government’s security decisions are based not
on security considerations, but on domestic political considerations.
Israeli army claims 401st Brigade completes mission in southern Lebanon
LBCI/August
02/2026
The Israeli army said that the combat team of the 401st Brigade, under the
command of the 91st Division, has completed its mission in southern Lebanon. It
said that eight months ago, “the forces began their mission, which included
defensive activities along the border and offensive activities in the security
zone in southern Lebanon.” “During their operations, the forces destroyed more
than 1,200 Hezbollah infrastructure sites, including underground routes with a
combined length of hundreds of meters, which were destroyed in cooperation with
Yahalom Unit forces,” it said. It added: “In addition, the forces located more
than 600 weapons and killed more than 60 Hezbollah operatives.”
Israel says killed several Hezbollah fighters in south
Lebanon
Agence France Presse/August
02/2026
The Israeli military said on Saturday that it killed several Hezbollah fighters
in southern Lebanon and that an Israeli soldier was injured there despite a
ceasefire. The military said it identified several Hezbollah fighters overnight
inside what Israel has labelled a "security zone" in southern Lebanon which its
forces occupy. "Following the identification, the soldiers struck the (fighters)
and eliminated them in order to remove the threat," the military said in a
statement. Israeli forces "will continue to operate to remove any threat to its
soldiers and will not allow ... Hezbollah ... to harm Israeli civilians," it
said. An Israeli soldier was moderately injured, the military said earlier, and
was evacuated to a hospital for treatment. When contacted by AFP journalists in
Beirut, Hezbollah did not comment. The Iranian-backed group has not claimed any
attacks since June 20. A U.S.-sponsored framework agreement signed by Lebanon
and Israel in late June aims to end hostilities, with Lebanon's army to disarm
Hezbollah and the Israeli military to withdraw from "pilot zones" inside Lebanon
where Lebanese forces will subsequently deploy. Hezbollah has repeatedly
rejected the deal and refuses to disarm, while there is no timetable for
Israel's full withdrawal. The deal came more than three months after Hezbollah
drew Lebanon into the wider Middle East war with rocket fire at Israel in
support of Tehran on March 2, triggering major Israeli airstrikes and a ground
invasion. While violence has declined since the signing of a preliminary
U.S.-Iran deal in June and the Lebanon-Israel agreement, Lebanon continues to
report intermittent Israeli strikes and artillery shelling on the south.
Lebanon's army last week condemned ongoing Israeli military activities that it
said were preventing its full deployment under the framework deal. Since the war
between Israel and Hezbollah erupted in early March, Israel's military has
reported 38 soldiers and one civilian contractor killed.
Israel caught between Hezbollah retaliation and US pressure
over Ali Al Taher: The details
LBCI/August
02/2026
The Israeli government has officially remained silent on U.S. President Donald
Trump’s decision to call off his planned large-scale attack on Iran. Israel,
which had placed itself on the highest state of alert, had also conducted drills
to refuel U.S. aircraft stationed in Tel Aviv midair in preparation for the
strike. Israel fears an unstable agreement between Washington and Tehran, while
also closely monitoring Hezbollah and Iran’s position on Israel’s continued
implementation of its target bank in Lebanon, particularly its intention to
destroy the tunnels in the Ali Al Taher hill. The uncertainty stems from
expectations within Israel that the destruction of these tunnels could prompt an
exceptional response from Iran and Hezbollah. To deter such reactions, Energy
Minister Eli Cohen warned that Israel would not tolerate any attack against it.
Ahead of Washington talks: Between Lebanon's demands and Israel's conditions—The
details . An ongoing debate is taking place in Israel over the destruction of
the Ali Al Taher tunnels. Military officials view the operation as dangerous and
sensitive, saying it cannot be carried out without sending soldiers into the
tunnels. They expect Hezbollah operatives to be present there, making clashes
and ambushes likely and posing a risk to the lives of Israeli soldiers. Israeli
military officials say the concern is not limited to the expected response, but
also includes the risk of a new crisis with Washington, which does not want an
escalation on the ground, as demonstrated by its postponement of the strike on
Iran.
Trump’s shifting decisions have become a logistical nightmare, according to
observers, who said Israelis are losing confidence in their government, which
has been accused of being unable to ensure their national security. A poll found
that 54% of Israelis believe the government’s security decisions are based not
on security considerations, but on domestic political considerations.
Acting UN coordinator for Lebanon says army has 'trust of
the int'l community'
Naharnet/August
02/2026
Jean Arnault, Officer-in-Charge of the Office of the United Nations Special
Coordinator for Lebanon (UNSCOL), has congratulated the Lebanese Armed Forces (LAF)
and its Commander, servicemen and servicewomen on the occasion of the
eighty-first Army Day, stressing that the army has "earned the pride of the
nation and the trust of the international community.""As Lebanon strives to
fulfill its national and international obligations, very high expectations fall
on the Lebanese army, not least in advancing security and stability across the
country, ensuring Lebanese territorial integrity and driving the implementation
of United Nations Security Council resolution 1701 forward," Arnault said. “It
is truly remarkable how the Lebanese army has succeeded in gaining the trust of
the Lebanese people across communities and performing its daunting tasks in
spite of a challenging operational environment and socio-economic difficulties,”
Arnault stated. He added that both the achievements and challenges were
showcased during a visit that he carried out to the Lebanese Army’s third land
border regiment in eastern Lebanon, where he met with LAF personnel and toured a
border post and watchtower. He reiterated the U.N. commitment to the
mobilization of international support for the LAF. Reflecting on "the positive
perception of the LAF shared by the most diverse communities, including during
his recent field visits across Lebanon," Arnault added: "Leadership, empathy and
transparency are what people see in their army, and it is an inspiration for
efforts to extend state authority throughout the country.”
UN says Israeli demolitions in Lebanon 'deeply concerning'
Agence France Presse/August
02/2026
The United Nations has expressed concern over Israel's ongoing demolitions in
southern Lebanon despite a ceasefire in its war with Hezbollah. "The scale of
the detonations and demolitions taking place in south Lebanon is deeply
concerning, with a devastating impact on civilian infrastructure, cultural
heritage, and the collective memory of communities," the office of the U.N.
special coordinator for Lebanon said in a statement. The statement comes a day
after the Israeli military carried out large overnight detonations near a
UNESCO-listed castle in Lebanon. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and
Defense Minister Israel Katz said the army destroyed "terror tunnels in the
Beaufort area" using approximately 700 tons of explosives. Beaufort castle was
added last week to UNESCO's List of World Heritage in Danger. President Joseph
Aoun on Friday labelled the detonation "an extremely dangerous escalation" and
"a direct threat to the process which was launched as part of the framework
agreement" reached with Israel during U.S.-sponsored talks last month. Under the
Israel-Lebanon deal, Lebanon's army is to disarm Hezbollah and the Israeli
military is to withdraw from "pilot zones" where Lebanese forces will
subsequently deploy. The timing of the blasts ahead of another round of talks
with Israel in Rome next week "sends negative messages and undermines
international efforts aimed at consolidating stability", Aoun added. Lebanon's
state-run National News Agency reported several detonations in other parts of
the south since, some so powerful they were heard across the area. It also
reported at least one Israeli strike on the south on Saturday, saying it wounded
two people. The U.N. said "this escalating pattern of destruction must stop as
diplomatic channels exist to resolve any outstanding issues."
The Israeli military meanwhile said Saturday that it killed several Hezbollah
fighters inside what it labelled a "security zone" in the country. An Israeli
soldier was moderately injured, the military said earlier, and was evacuated to
a hospital for treatment. Speaking from the south to mark Lebanese Army day,
chief General Rodolphe Haykal said that "we reject the continued Israeli
occupation of any part of our territory". Iran-backed Hezbollah drew Lebanon
into the Middle East war on March 2 with attacks on Israel. Israel retaliated
with a massive bombing campaign and a ground offensive that Lebanese authorities
say have killed more than 4,300 people.
LBCI sources: Former Central Bank governor Riad Salameh
begins hunger strike, demands transfer from Roumieh Prison
LBCI/August
02/2026
Sources told LBCI that former Central Bank governor Riad Salameh has announced a
hunger strike, demanding that he be transferred from Roumieh Prison and returned
to Bhannes Hospital. According to the sources, Salameh also deliberately and
without justification refused to take his blood pressure medication, despite
having several doctors present with him. A detailed report documenting the
incident was prepared, the sources said, adding that the Prosecutor General at
the Court of Cassation is expected to issue a statement clarifying the
circumstances.
Patriarch al-Rahi calls for swift reconstruction, says
state must remain sole authority
LBCI/August
02/2026
Maronite Patriarch Bechara Boutros al-Rahi stressed that the country can be
saved when personal interests in influence are transformed into the public
interest. In his Sunday sermon, he said: “At this critical stage, we want peace
to be a national decision that protects Lebanon.”
He described the framework agreement as a national effort to establish lasting,
comprehensive and just peace.He stressed the need to stand by displaced and
affected Lebanese, calling for the reconstruction process to be expedited,
“because Lebanon’s peace is tied to the peace of the south.”He affirmed that the
state is the legitimate authority for all Lebanese, and that the exclusive
possession of weapons by the state protects the Lebanese from division and
chaos.
Lebanon’s electricity crisis: From Egyptian gas hopes to
Turkish power plans
LBCI/August
02/2026
Despite the war it is experiencing, Lebanon is seeking to keep pace with the
region’s development. However, the most basic requirement remains having a
reliable electricity supply. Some may argue that Lebanon does have electricity
through private generators, but at a high cost.Electricité du Liban is currently
producing around 500 megawatts thanks to Iraqi fuel supplies, providing between
four and five hours of electricity per day. The country’s needs, however, reach
around 3,000 megawatts, while reliance on solar energy has covered only a very
limited portion of demand. Several plans have been introduced under different
energy ministers, but implementation has been partial or has failed to produce
results.
So where does Lebanon stand today?
Since 2022, discussions have focused on two projects: importing gas from Egypt
and electricity from Jordan. In both cases, transit through Syria is required.
After overcoming some obstacles, including the Caesar Act and repairing damaged
sections of Syria’s electricity network due to the war, work is currently
underway to rehabilitate the gas pipeline from the Syrian border to the Deir
Ammar power plant in northern Lebanon. An Egyptian company is carrying out the
rehabilitation, which is expected to take three months before testing begins.
However, a new issue has emerged: Where will the gas come from?
Lebanon had been relying on Egyptian gas, but it was later determined that
Egypt’s Zohr gas field does not have the large reserves previously expected to
last for 20 years. This has forced Egypt to slow gas exports and prioritize
domestic consumption. Jordan previously had surplus electricity, although its
power generation relies on Israeli gas. Since the supply of that gas has
decreased due to the war, the cost of delivering electricity to Lebanon has
increased. Faced with this challenge, Lebanon has turned to a new proposal:
importing electricity from Turkey. Turkey has surplus electricity and exports
power to countries in Eastern Europe and northern Syria. It also has an existing
network in northern Syria that reaches Aleppo, which could potentially be
connected through central Syria to northern Lebanon. However, Lebanon must also
rehabilitate its own electricity grid. This highlights the importance of using a
World Bank loan to upgrade infrastructure, particularly in the electricity
sector. It is worth noting that the cost of electricity produced by private
generators currently ranges between 50 and 55 cents per kilowatt-hour, depending
on oil prices and fluctuations. State electricity costs between 13 and 27 cents
per kilowatt-hour, based on the tariff approved three years ago, while the
estimated cost of importing electricity from Turkey is around 16 cents per
kilowatt-hour. Plans and studies alone are not enough; the key is reaching
implementation.
World Lebanese Cultural Union (WLCU) at a Crossroads
Pierre A. Maroun/August
02/2026
Reflections on the CIH Partnership and the Union’s Institutional Future
The Memorandum of Understanding between the World Lebanese Cultural Union (WLCU)
and the Civic Influence Hub (CIH) has been presented as a historic partnership
to strengthen cooperation between Lebanon and its diaspora. The principles it
invokes—sovereignty, constitutional legitimacy, citizenship, peace, diversity,
and positive neutrality—are widely shared. The real question is whether this
partnership is compatible with the institutional mission for which WLCU was
created. For decades, WLCU has united Lebanese across continents, religions,
political affiliations, and generations. Its strength has never been ideological
uniformity; it has been diversity—and the institutional neutrality that
diversity requires. WLCU was established to represent Lebanese communities, not
to advance a particular policy agenda. Its independence has long been the
foundation of the confidence that generations of Lebanese communities have
placed in the Union. CIH is a different kind of organization: a policy and
governance institution dedicated to constitutional reform and public‑policy
advocacy. Both organizations are legitimate, but their missions are
fundamentally different. One develops policy positions; the other represents
people who may legitimately hold differing positions. These missions may
complement one another, but they are not the same. The Memorandum extends beyond
cultural cooperation. It contemplates coordinated advocacy, policy papers, and
strategic engagement on national priorities. These commitments raise basic
governance questions: Which reforms? Which priorities? Who decides? Through what
representative process? Recent communications encouraging support for amendments
to WLCU’s constitutional framework suggest that the partnership may already be
influencing matters internal to the Union.
A structural asymmetry compounds the issue. CIH is a compact policy
organization, while WLCU is a global federation governed through elected
leadership and representative institutions. CIH contributes policy expertise and
strategic frameworks; WLCU contributes worldwide representation, institutional
legitimacy, historical continuity, and an established global network. The
five‑year duration of the Memorandum further raises questions of accountability,
since future elected leadership may inherit commitments negotiated by previous
administrations. Long‑term partnerships can be valuable, but they require
transparency, regular reporting, and mechanisms for review, renewal, amendment,
or termination. ظThe larger question is one of institutional identity. Should
WLCU remain the broad, representative umbrella that has united Lebanese
communities for generations? Or should it gradually become a participant in
Lebanon’s constitutional and public‑policy debates through long‑term
partnerships with advocacy organizations?
Both paths are legitimate.
However, they are not the same.
Institutions endure by remaining faithful to the purposes for which they were
created. At a time of deep division in Lebanon, the diaspora still needs at
least one major institution capable of bringing Lebanese together without first
asking how they vote or which constitutional vision they embrace.
A careful assessment of the partnership suggests a governance risk: over time,
WLCU’s institutional priorities, public positions, and external advocacy could
increasingly be shaped through its partnership with CIH rather than through the
deliberative processes of its own representative bodies. Whether that risk is
acceptable should not be decided by one administration or one generation of
leaders. It belongs to the worldwide membership whose diversity has always been
the Union’s greatest strength.
Researcher and Strategic Analyst/President, Shields of
United Lebanon (SOUL)/SOUL for Lebanon
Washington's Blessing Manifests Itself in Rome
Alan Sarkis/Nidaa Al Watan/August 3, 2026 (Google translation from Arabic)
All attempts to suggest that the "framework agreement" formulated in Washington
was merely a document open to freezing or bargaining have practically collapsed.
The Lebanese state has moved from the stage of establishing principles to the
stage of implementation, albeit gradual. What is being prepared in Rome is not a
routine meeting, but rather the first practical test of the path chosen by
President Joseph Aoun, despite internal objections and attempts to disrupt it.
When the state sends a delegation comprising politicians and military personnel
to the same table with the Israelis, facts become more powerful than any
statements, and negotiations become an irreversible option. Baabda Palace
affirms that President Aoun is utterly committed to the framework agreement
signed in Washington and believes that any retreat from it would mean returning
Lebanon to square one and squandering the only available opportunity to
extricate the South from the cycle of military attrition. Had this commitment
not existed, the decision would not have been made to send an official
delegation to Rome to negotiate with Israel on August 4, 5, and 6—a step that
confirms the state's choice to complete the path initiated in the American
capital. Meanwhile, Aoun publicly reiterates that all his steps are coordinated
with Speaker of Parliament Nabih Berri to maintain a minimum level of internal
cohesion. However, Berri faces a highly complex dilemma. He recognizes that
negotiations have become a reality, but at the same time, he is in a very
difficult position with Hezbollah and its Shiite supporters. This explains his
repeated attempts to distance himself from certain details of this process or to
portray himself as uninvolved in the choices made by the state, despite
continued coordination with the president. Information obtained by Nidaa Al-Watan
reveals that the Rome meetings will begin with a joint session bringing together
the political and military delegations before splitting into two separate
tracks—one political and the other military—allowing each team to address
specific issues within its area of expertise. The information indicates that
President Aoun's instructions to the Lebanese delegation are decisive: to give
absolute priority to the security aspect and to pressure Israel to fulfill its
commitments, primarily withdrawing from the points it still occupies and halting
its ongoing demolition, destruction, and violations. Therefore, the security
file will occupy the largest part of the negotiations, as it is key to any
subsequent progress on the remaining issues.
The Rome tour cannot be viewed in isolation from the diplomatic activity that
preceded it. Aoun's visit to Washington and his meeting with US President Donald
Trump, followed by his trip to Ankara and meeting with President Recep Tayyip
Erdoğan, were not merely protocol stops. Rather, they placed Lebanon back at the
center of international and regional attention, as influential capitals now
consider its stability an integral part of redrawing the balances of power in
the Middle East, not a marginal issue that can be postponed. It seems clear that
the President is betting on the success of this approach, because he understands
that the alternative is not a return to the pre-Washington agreement status quo,
but rather a slide into a new war that will spare no one. Lebanon, exhausted
economically, financially, and socially, cannot withstand another confrontation,
and any security collapse will have a double cost for both the state and its
people. For this reason, Rome appears not just as a negotiating stop, but as a
pivotal moment that will determine the direction of the next phase. If the state
succeeds in securing its security commitments and obtaining the implementation
of Israeli pledges, it will have opened the door to a different era. But if the
negotiations fall under the pressure of internal calculations or attempts at
obstruction, Lebanon will once again find itself facing the specter of
escalation, at a time when the world is no longer willing to finance wars or
cover up for those who obstruct opportunities for stability.
It feels like only yesterday
Dr. Elie Youssef Al-Aqouri/Mont Lebanon Website/August 2, 2026 (Google
translation from Arabic)
https://eliasbejjaninews.com/2026/08/156393/
It feels like only yesterday we were little, playing in the alleyway, time
standing still for us. It feels like only yesterday my mother was calling us for
lunch, her voice following us to the end of the neighborhood. It feels like only
yesterday my father was carrying me on his shoulders, and I thought the whole
world was that long. And today, when I look back, I find that all that yesterday
has turned, without warning, into forty years and more!
This is the great deception of time: it doesn't wound, it runs, but it runs
silently, without audible footsteps, without warning. We don't feel it stealing
us away. We only feel it when we suddenly turn around and find the distance it
has covered is immense, and we find ourselves in a place very far from the spot
we thought we were in.
The children who grew up in the blink of an eye were yesterday infants we
carried in our arms, spoon-fed, and feared would fall on a staircase. Today, we
see them walking with a confidence we don't know the source of, speaking with a
logic we didn't fully teach them, resembling us at one moment and contradicting
us at the next. Between then and now, only a moment passed in our perception,
even though actual time was working silently all along, brick by brick, until it
built a complete human being before our very eyes without us noticing when the
construction began. This is what life does; it doesn't announce itself, but
surprises you with its results.
Work steals life because we go to work every morning thinking we are building a
life, forgetting that work, if we are not careful, builds a life at the expense
of another life we once had: a life of vitality, youth, and time with those we
love. We wake up one day, after years of meetings, appointments, and projects,
to discover that the body is no longer the same, that the energy we thought was
inexhaustible is beginning to run out, and that the mirror reflects a face we
haven't agreed to this change with. The strange thing is that work doesn't steal
us by force, but by consent. We willingly surrender our days to it, hour by
hour, thinking we're investing in the future. Then the future arrives, and we
don't have enough time left to enjoy what we've built.
And therein lies the wonder of the old child. That moment always comes late,
when we look back at the recent past with a unique kind of wonder—the wonder of
someone who knows every detail but can't believe it's over. We remember the
sounds, the smells, the places with the precision of someone who just lived
them, but at the same time, we realize they're far away, beyond the reach of
return. This is the wonder of the old child: a heart that still yearns like a
child, and an age that knows it's no longer a child.
Perhaps the harshest reminder of the fleeting nature of life is the absence of
those we love. We grow accustomed to their presence, we postpone visits, we
postpone calls, we postpone the words we intended to say, believing there's
always plenty of time. Then, suddenly, without warning, they're gone. Absence
gives no warning, no chance to finish what we left unsaid. Only emptiness
remains, and questions without answers. Why didn't I tell him? Why didn't I
visit him more often? Why didn't I forgive him? Why? Why? Why?... So what can we
do to stop the bleeding of life and avert the deadly regret? We have no power to
stop time, but we do have one: to live consciously in the present moment, not
obliviously. To speak the truth now, not when we think there's a better time. To
embrace those we love today, not when we have free time. To give our children
real time, not time left over after exhaustion. To remember that work is a means
of living, not a substitute.
The true avoidance of regret is not in living longer, but in living more deeply.
In not postponing love, not postponing apologies, not postponing simple joys
under the pretext that there are more important things now. Because every
yesterday was today, and every today will become, sooner or later, another
yesterday that we look at with wonder and wish we had lived more of.
Hezbollah's Tunnels: Successive Governments Are Complicit
and Responsible
Jean Al-Faghali/Nidaa Al-Watan/August 3, 2026 (Google translation from Arabic)
The issue of the tunnels built by Hezbollah is not merely a military or security
matter, but rather a testament to the failure of the Lebanese state and
successive governments to impose their sovereignty over all its territory. The
existence of a tunnel network of this size, the construction of which took many
years, would not have been possible without political complicity or an official
inability to implement the constitution and to confine weapons and military
decision-making to the state. Specialized research centers in geology and
seismic activity have reported that some of the massive explosions targeting the
tunnels were recorded by monitoring devices as seismic events, reflecting the
enormous scale of these facilities and the unprecedented explosions that
accompanied their targeting. Regardless of the precise scientific
classification, the message was clear: Lebanon has become an arena containing an
underground military infrastructure of exceptional dimensions. On the economic
front, financial institutions and experts have circulated estimates indicating
that the cost of digging and equipping the tunnel network reached tens of
billions of dollars, with some estimates reaching as high as twenty billion
dollars. If these estimates are accurate, the question that arises is: what if
this sum had been invested in the Lebanese state? It could have been used to
rebuild the affected areas, develop the electricity grid, revitalize the
healthcare sector, improve education, rehabilitate infrastructure, and create
job opportunities that would have stemmed the emigration of young people. This
investment could have rebuilt Lebanon instead of perpetuating a war economy.
Experience has shown that the tunnel strategy, whatever its military
motivations, has not prevented the outbreak of wars, nor has it prevented the
very environment that sustains the tunnels from suffering widespread
destruction. The comparison with the Gaza Strip is also compelling; there, too,
tunnels were linked to a military strategy that culminated in devastating wars,
inflicting enormous human and infrastructural losses. Today, southern Lebanon
faces similar challenges, with civilians and infrastructure bearing the brunt of
the confrontations before any other party. The responsibility does not lie
solely with Hezbollah, but extends to all the regimes and governments that have
accepted the existence of a security and military reality outside the state
institutions, whether through silence, political acquiescence, or a failure to
enforce the law. A state that relinquishes its monopoly on security and military
decisions opens the door to fateful choices in which the people do not
participate, but they bear the full consequences.
Metropolitan Elias Audi: The wound of the Beirut port explosion is still open
Al-Markazia/August 2, 2026 (Google translation from Arabic)
Metropolitan Elias Audi, Archbishop of Beirut and its dependencies, presided
over Sunday Mass at St. George Cathedral, which included a funeral service for
the souls of the victims of the August 4, 2020 explosion who fell at St. George
University Hospital and throughout the capital, Beirut. In his sermon after the
Gospel reading, Audeh said: "Our Lebanon has been suffering for decades from the
ravages of wars, corruption, financial and economic collapse, state
incompetence, and a decline in trust in it... But the past years have been the
most difficult for its people. Six years after the Beirut port explosion, the
sea is still raging, not only because the explosion was a terrifying storm, but
also because the truth is still submerged under waves of vested interests, and
justice is still being obstructed whenever it gets close to revealing those
responsible. How can we not pause today with sorrow before one of the greatest
wounds of our nation? How can the Church hear the Gospel's words on salvation,
and the Apostle's words on the sanctity of humanity, and then pass by a
catastrophe that still cries out in the face of history?" He continued: “Six
years have passed, and the families of the victims still raise the same cry:
Where is the truth? Who killed our children? Who destroyed the capital? Who
turned part of it into rubble that covered the bodies of their loved ones and
buried their hopes? How can a state ask its people for trust when it is
incapable of telling the truth, or unwilling to do so? How can justice remain
justice if it is postponed or silenced whenever it approaches those in power? We
rely on the wisdom of the president of this beloved country, the resolve of its
prime minister, and the consciences of the remaining honorable people who work
within the bounds of the law, far removed from corruption and self-interest, to
bring forth answers that will heal hearts and minds.” He added: “Six years have
passed, and the sound of the explosion has not faded from the conscience of the
Lebanese. The explosion did not end when the smoke cleared, and the wound
remains open. The recovery phase begins when the truth is revealed. The
explosion ends when its perpetrators are brought to justice. But if the truth
remains captive to political calculations, and justice hostage to interventions
and vested interests, the crime will remain alive in consciences, and the
wound…” Bleeding, trust is absent, and hope for a strong, just state that fears
none but its Lord is nonexistent.
He added: “My dear friends, obstructing justice is not an administrative error,
but a moral and national sin. Every day the truth remains captive is a day the
victims are killed again, and the dignity of the survivors is violated because
the strong are always the victors, as in the jungle, and can escape
accountability. What is required is not revenge, because revenge is not part of
the teachings of the Gospel. Justice is the goal, because it is at the heart of
the Gospel. We do not seek hatred, because Christ taught us love, but love does
not mean covering up the crime, nor turning the blood of the innocent into an
annual commemoration that is forgotten the next day. Love that does not defend
the truth is incomplete, forgiveness that is imposed before acknowledging the
right is invalid, and peace that is built on burying the truth is counterfeit, a
temporary truce on top of a volcano.” Bishop Audeh stated, "What deepens the
pain and the wound is that, after six years, Lebanon has not escaped the cycle
of death. It continues to be dragged into wars that bear no resemblance to the
dreams of its children, nor do they reflect the will of its people. The Lebanese
were not created to be fuel for the conflicts of others, nor a mailbox for
regional messages, nor an open arena for every conflict that others decide to
wage on its soil. This nation is weary of sacrificing its lives and livelihoods,
of burying its children, and of being deprived of its right to a peaceful, safe,
and dignified life. They want a homeland governed by law, not weapons; by right,
not force; by justice, not compromises. The painful truth is that those who pay
the price are always the innocent who dream of a normal homeland, only to find
themselves living in a country more accustomed to death than life. It is as if
the human life of this country has become cheaper than projects, calculations,
and interests. The Church cannot become accustomed to this reality, nor can it
remain silent when the image of God in humanity is defiled, nor can it bless the
culture of impunity, or consider the obstruction of justice to be normal,
because silence in the face of injustice is complicity, and coexistence with
falsehood is acceptance." Yes. The Gospel does not only ask us to be witnesses
to the Resurrection, but also to the truth. Our Christ said, “I am the way, the
truth, and the life,” and there is no life without truth, no peace without
justice, and no true healing without revealing the whole truth, however bitter
it may be, and however much it may cost. He concluded: “Today we pray for all
the victims, the living and the departed, and we also pray that the national
conscience may awaken and that everything that obstructs the truth may fall,
because nations are not built on denial, nor do they rise through forgetfulness,
nor are they healed by running away from the problem. Lebanon will not emerge
from its storms unless it reconciles with the truth, unless justice is placed
above all interests, unless humanity is valued above all calculations, and
unless the nation is greater than any project that seeks to be imposed upon it.”
In addition, Awdeh addressed a greeting to the Lebanese army, saying:
“Greetings, thanks and appreciation to every member of our valiant army, the
sole protector of the homeland, on its anniversary, asking the Almighty Lord to
protect them and accompany them in every step and every mission they undertake
to protect our homeland, preserve its borders, defend its land and extend its
sovereignty over its entire area, as we pray for the peace of the soul of every
martyr from its ranks who died so that Lebanon may remain.”
The Latest English LCCC
Miscellaneous Reports And News published
on August 02-03/2026
Scoop: MBS raises concerns over
Trump's plans for massive Iran strikes
Barak Ravid/Axios/August 02/2026
Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman spoke to President Trump on Saturday and
expressed concern over his plans for massive new strikes against Iran, according
to two U.S. officials and a third source with knowledge of the call. Why it
matters: Trump is seriously considering attacking Iranian energy targets in the
coming days in response to Iran's missile strike on a U.S. base in Jordan and
its continued disruption of shipping through the Strait of Hormuz. He has yet to
issue final orders. The big picture: Such an attack could lead to an
unprecedented escalation in the five-month war, which has repeatedly paused as
Trump opened the door to negotiations — only to resume when those diplomatic
efforts failed. Zoom in: Iran has threatened to retaliate by launching attacks
against energy and infrastructure facilities in Israel and the Gulf countries.
"The Saudis expressed concern and asked for clarity about the plan of action,"
one U.S. official told Axios. A second source with knowledge of the call said
MBS urged Trump to de-escalate and refrain from launching the strikes.
The White House and the Saudi embassy in Washington declined to comment.
Catch up quick: Trump met Wednesday with Saudi Defense Minister Prince Khalid
bin Salman, known as KBS. The meeting was added to the Saudi minister's
itinerary after he met with Vice President Vance and told him that Saudi Arabia
favored de-escalation with Iran, a source familiar with the matter said.The
message came despite this week's joint U.S.-Saudi strike against pro-Iranian
militias in Iraq. The source said the meetings were intended to convey MBS'
views on the Iran war and the broader regional situation. Between the lines:
Saudi Arabia is one of Washington's most important allies in the region. Despite
periods of tension over the past five months, Riyadh has influenced Trump's Iran
policy at several critical moments since the war began. Driving the news: Other
regional powers, including Qatar, the United Arab Emirates, Turkey and Pakistan,
are also pressing the U.S. and Iran to de-escalate.
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi spoke Saturday with Pakistani army chief
Field Marshal Asim Munir, who has served as a key mediator between Washington
and Tehran. Araghchi also spoke with the foreign ministers of Turkey and Saudi
Arabia about the prospect of U.S. strikes. "Any hostile action by the U.S. or
Israel — or participation or cooperation by regional countries in such actions —
would be met with a decisive and proportionate response from Iran's powerful
armed forces," Araghchi told his Saudi counterpart, according to a statement on
his Telegram channel. What to watch: Qatari mediators held separate talks
Saturday with Araghchi, White House envoy Steve Witkoff and Omani officials in
an effort to secure an agreement to reopen the Strait of Hormuz. The talks made
progress, a source with knowledge of the discussions said, though it remains
unclear whether that will be enough to defuse the crisis.
Trump says US, Israel to hold off on Iran strikes
Agence France Presse/August 02/2026
U.S. President Donald Trump announced overnight that the United States and
Israel had agreed to hold off on new strikes on Iran -- provided a deal to end
the months-long conflict is "rapidly" reached. Fears had mounted that the
fighting could escalate once again after Trump threatened to hit Iran "very
hard" and was reportedly considering renewed heavy attacks, including against
energy infrastructure. Trump said the U.S. was "locked and loaded and ready to
go against the Islamic Republic of Iran," but added that Tehran and other Middle
Eastern countries had asked him to hold off on fresh strikes. "Based on this
request, I have agreed, for the future benefit of the WORLD and, likewise, the
survival of a successful and prosperous Iran, to cancel the attack, subject to
being able to rapidly make a DEAL," Trump posted on his Truth Social platform.
The U.S. president said the deal would have to include the "Immediate, Complete
and Total OPENING OF THE HORMUZ STRAIT, and an end to Iran's nuclear
threat.""The Country of Israel joins me in this commitment. Get to work,
everybody, and get it DONE." After more than five months of war, which began on
February 28 when the United States and Israel launched strikes on Tehran, there
is seemingly no end to the conflict in sight. A previous ceasefire deal with
similar terms, including the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz, fell through,
and Iran has since tightened its control over the vital waterway as the two
countries resumed attacks against each other in recent weeks. The resumption of
hostilities has caused global oil prices, which had dipped during the initial
ceasefire, to again rise.And the back-and-forth comes just three months before
midterm elections in the United States that could pose a challenge for Trump's
Republican Party.
'Eager to do a deal'
U.S. embassies in capitals across the Middle East had warned their citizens on
Saturday to beware of "unforeseen escalation" in the regional conflict and urged
them to be ready to leave. CBS News said that the United States and Israel were
planning joint strikes, possibly throughout the weekend, with oil refineries and
power plants among possible targets. But Trump said he ultimately decided to
hold off on his threat of new attacks after requests from Gulf countries. Saudi
Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman called Trump on Saturday to express concerns
about his strike plans, Axios reported, citing unnamed U.S. officials. One
source with knowledge of the call told Axios that the Saudi crown prince had
"urged Trump to de-escalate and refrain from launching the strikes". The White
House did not immediately respond to a request for comment about the report.
Iran and the U.S. resumed exchanges of fire last month after a days-long lull in
fighting, although there were no reported strikes overnight Friday to Saturday.
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio told Fox News earlier in the week that the
U.S. had "wiped out" much of Iran's defenses, adding that Tehran was "now
willing and in some cases seem eager to do a deal on denuclearization, to do a
deal on the straits."Still, he said Iran could "still do damage." On Wednesday,
a drone struck a U.S.-owned gas vessel moored in an Egyptian port, causing a
fire. Egypt is investigating but has not yet accused any group of launching the
attack. Meanwhile, an "unknown projectile" struck a tanker off the coast of
Oman, a British maritime agency said on Saturday. Iran has effectively
maintained control over navigation through Hormuz since the outbreak of the war
on February 28, requiring vessels to obtain permission and pay transit fees
before using the waterway. Maritime trade tracking firm Kpler said on Friday
that traffic through the Hormuz strait has dropped "sharply". On the Bab
el-Mandeb Strait, another waterway that has gained increasing importance as a
transit route for Saudi Arabian oil, the Iran-backed Houthi rebels in Yemen on
Saturday denied seeking to charge ships for passage through it. The narrow
waterway connects the Red Sea to the Indian Ocean and, via the Suez Canal, the
Mediterranean. Maritime trade tracking firm Kpler said on Friday that traffic
through the Hormuz strait has dropped "sharply". On the Bab el-Mandeb Strait,
another waterway that has gained increasing importance as a transit route for
Saudi Arabian oil, the Iran-backed Houthi rebels in Yemen on Saturday denied
seeking to charge ships for passage through it. The narrow waterway connects the
Red Sea to the Indian Ocean and, via the Suez Canal, the Mediterranean.
Mediators are seeking to revive US-Iran MoU, Iranian MP
says
Al Arabiya English/02 August ,2026
An Iranian lawmaker said on Sunday that mediators were seeking to revive a deal
that briefly halted the war between Iran and the United States in June. Hassan
Ghashghavi, spokesman for parliament’s national security commission, said in a
video interview that “there is an effort underway to revive the 14-point
Islamabad agreement, particularly by the mediators.”“They know that the main
issue and, in fact, the key to the matter right now is the issue of the Strait
of Hormuz, so yes, there is an exchange of views,” he said. The agreement, known
as the Islamabad memorandum of understanding, was reached with the involvement
of Iran’s Gulf neighbor Qatar and eastern neighbor Pakistan, with negotiating
sessions held in Islamabad. The deal included arrangements concerning the Strait
of Hormuz and a resumption of diplomacy between Tehran and Washington for a
broader deal. It also called for an end to the hostilities in Lebanon where
Israel has been fighting the Iran-backed Hezbollah militia. The agreement later
collapsed after Iran and the United States accused each other of violating its
provisions. US President Donald Trump said on Saturday that Washington and
Israel had agreed to hold off on new strikes on Iran, provided a deal to end the
months-long conflict was reached rapidly. In a post on his Truth Social website,
Trump said he had agreed “to hold off any attack in that the perimeters of a
deal has been agreed to.”Ghashghavi, a former diplomat, said there was “constant
exchange of views and discussion over proposals,” without elaborating. With AFP
MBS urges efforts to prevent region from being dragged into
wider conflict in Trump call
Al Arabiya English/02 August ,2026
Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and US President Donald Trump have
discussed developments in the region and their regional and international
implications in a phone call, the Saudi Press Agency (SPA) reported on Sunday.
MBS “stressed the need to prioritize dialogue to reduce escalation and the
importance of making every possible effort to achieve calm that paves the way
for diplomatic solutions, preserves the region’s security and stability, and
prevents a wider conflict whose repercussions would affect regional and
international security and stability,” SPA added.The two leaders also reviewed
areas of bilateral cooperation and ways to strengthen them.Trump announced on
Sunday that the United States and Israel had agreed to hold off on new strikes
on Iran -- provided a deal to end the months-long conflict is “rapidly” reached.
Trump said the US was “locked and loaded and ready to go against the Islamic
Republic of Iran,” but added that Tehran and other Middle Eastern countries had
asked him to hold off on fresh strikes.“Based on this request, I have agreed,
for the future benefit of the WORLD and, likewise, the survival of a successful
and prosperous Iran, to cancel the attack, subject to being able to rapidly make
a DEAL,” Trump posted on his Truth Social platform.
Iranian media deny Trump claim that Tehran asked US not to
strike
Al Arabiya English/02 August ,2026
Iran’s Mehr news agency on Sunday denied President Donald Trump’s claim that
Iran asked the United States to refrain from conducting new strikes.Citing
military officials, the agency said the allegation “was nothing but a new lie”
and that the Iranian armed forces were “on high alert and ready for any
eventuality.”On Sunday morning, Trump said the US was “ready to go against the
Islamic Republic” but that Tehran and other Middle Eastern countries had asked
him to hold off on fresh strikes. He said he had made the decision, subject to
reaching a deal with Iran. “This would include the Immediate, Complete and Total
OPENING OF THE HORMUZ STRAIT, and an end to Iran’s nuclear threat,” wrote Trump
in a Truth Social post. Iran’s Fars news agency citing a source close to Iranian
negotiators said “as long as the United States maintains its hostile actions,
the Strait of Hormuz will remain closed.”Iran has blockaded Hormuz since the
start of the war, requiring vessels to obtain permission and pay transit fees
before using the waterway. Separately, Iran’s acting defense minister, Majid Ibn
al-Reza, said on Sunday according to state media Tehran views every threat from
its adversaries as “real and credible” even if made as part of psychological
warfare. “We will neither be caught off guard nor remain passive,” he said,
adding that Iran would use threats as a basis to increase its military
readiness, strengthen deterrence and enhance its military capabilities.With
agencies
Iran foreign ministry says close to deal with Oman on
Hormuz route
AFP/02 August ,2026
The spokesman for Iran’s foreign ministry said on Sunday that Tehran and Muscat
were close to reaching a deal on a new maritime route through the Strait of
Hormuz, separate from the existing corridors. “We are now going to reach an
understanding on a route acceptable to both sides -- neither the northern route
nor the southern route -- but one that respects the sovereign rights of both
sides and safeguards our national interests and security,” Esmaeil Baghaei said
in an interview with state television. Details of the new route were not
immediately clear, but Iran has effectively maintained control over the
strategic waterway, through which around 20 percent of global oil consumption
passes on normal days, since the outbreak of war on February 28. Earlier, the
IRNA state news agency quoted Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi as saying that
negotiations with Oman, the other littoral state on the Strait, “were on track
for finalization and were going through their final stages,” without providing
further details. Muscat did not immediately comment on the matter. Baghaei,
however, said “an understanding between Iran and Oman on a new route has nothing
to do with whether the Strait of Hormuz is reopened or remains closed,” blaming
the US for the closure and accusing Washington of breaching its commitments.
“The Strait was closed because of the United States’ breach of its commitments,
its naval blockade of Iran, and all the hostile measures that the United States
has taken against the Islamic Republic of Iran during this period,” he said.
Tehran and Washington signed a deal in mid-June that ended months of
hostilities, with provisions concerning the Strait of Hormuz and a resumption of
diplomacy between Tehran and Washington towards a broader agreement. The deal
later collapsed after Iran and the US accused each other of violating its
provisions, followed by US attacks on Iran and Tehran’s retaliatory strikes in
the region.
Report: Araghchi agrees to deal to reopen Hormuz
Naharnet/August 02/2026
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi agreed overnight to a compromise
proposal formulated by Qatari and U.S. mediators regarding an arrangement to
reopen the Strait of Hormuz, two informed diplomats told Israel's Channel 12. "Araghchi's
positive response was one of the reasons why (U.S.) President (Donald) Trump
agreed to call off" a planned major attack on Iran, the diplomats added. Trump
had earlier said that the U.S. and Israel have agreed to hold off on new strikes
on Iran -- provided a deal to end the months-long conflict is "rapidly" reached.
Israeli strikes kill eight in Gaza overnight
Agence France Presse/August 02/2026
Overnight Israeli strikes on Gaza hit multiple residential buildings and killed
at least eight people, authorities said Sunday, despite Hamas saying it agreed
to the latest stage of a deal to end the war. Hamas said Friday it had agreed to
a plan championed by U.S. President Donald Trump that includes provisions for
handing over its weapons and the gradual withdrawal of Israeli forces from the
Gaza Strip. Israel has yet to officially comment on the agreement, but a
political source has told AFP "that there will be no withdrawal whatsoever"
without Hamas's "genuine disarmament".Gaza civil defence officials said Sunday
eight people were killed in strikes around midnight that hit multiple
residential buildings. In one attack near the central Gaza Strip, a man and his
wife were killed and several others were wounded when an Israeli military
helicopter struck an apartment, a civil defence spokesman said. An elderly man
and a child were killed in another attack on an apartment west of Gaza City, and
three people, including a child, were targeted when a strike hit another
apartment northwest of Khan Younis in the southern Gaza Strip.Authorities
reported earlier Saturday that eight other people had been killed in strikes
that damaged a hospital's medical supplies and targeted a rooftop.
Spain's N. Africa enclave returns to normal as migrants
depart
Agence France Presse/August 02/2026
Almost all of the tens of thousands of migrants who entered Spain's enclave of
Ceuta in North Africa had left by Saturday, officials said, as some EU countries
bolstered their border controls over the sudden influx. An estimated 60,000
migrants entered Ceuta over just a few days from neighboring Morocco, the
enclave's regional president Juan Jesus Vivas told reporters, but by Saturday
Spain's interior minister said almost all had left. "The situation has been
almost entirely reversed," Fernando Grande-Marlaska told reporters. Under the
watch of Spanish soldiers and police on Saturday morning, the remaining young
migrants continued crossing back over the border to Morocco, AFP journalists
saw. Any who lingered too long on the coastal path were immediately ushered back
out by the soldiers.To cross into Ceuta, many swam around a small border barrier
that juts out into the Mediterranean. At least 67 people died in the attempt,
said Grande-Marlaska providing updated figures Saturday. "We hope to go to
Europe to work and earn a living. That's it," Souleye Bodian, 19, a Senegalese
migrant told AFP outside a migrant centre in Ceuta where dozens of other
sub-Saharan African migrants waited for officials. "We all know that in Africa
there isn't much opportunity," he said.The sudden influx of migrants had sparked
political panic in Europe.
'Adios'
EU said it would hold a video meeting on Tuesday after 22 bloc members issued a
joint open letter on Saturday calling for a meeting of interior ministers "as a
matter of urgency" to agree a speedy coordinated response, and to "prevent
further uncontrolled crossings". Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni wrote on
X: "Defending the external borders of the Union is not the interest of a single
Nation. It is a shared responsibility of Europe." Italy suspended its Schengen
agreement with Spain allowing for visa-free movement between borders as of
Saturday for one month. Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez, in a letter to the
heads of the European Commission and European Council, blasted the "selfish"
reaction by some EU countries. He backed a video meeting of interior
ministers.EU chief Ursula von der Leyen said on X Saturday that the bloc needed
"a lessons learned process to improve our European resilience," while pointing
out that "not a single person reached mainland Spain or the rest of the EU"
during the influx. Madrid had rushed security personnel and equipment to the
North African outpost that it has run for centuries. After a night of wandering
the beaches and streets of Ceuta or sleeping on the sand, AFP journalists
observed Saturday, some young people turned back to say "adios" or "goodbye" to
officers before crossing back to Morocco. More soldiers stood guard on the small
beach next to the border fence, positioned under parasols in the morning.Spain's
interior ministry said a new pneumatic barrier 500 meters (1,640 feet) in length
was installed near the border post to reinforce security.
'A better future' -
In Morocco, Soufian, 42, told AFP that he had been planning to make a swim from
his coastal town of Martil, located less than 40 kilometers (25 miles) from
Ceuta, when a friend told him that the border was open. "It didn't take long --
just five minutes or less, maybe three -- since it was right at the border."He
said he wanted to visit his mother, who is ill and lives in Madrid. "Even though
there's no food, nothing at all, I'll endure anything to see my mother," Soufian
said, adding he makes just 10 euros ($12) a day working 12-hour shifts as a
security guard. As for the others who crossed, he said, "everyone wants to move
up, wants a good future -- something that doesn't exist in Morocco". What
sparked the sudden massive flow of migrants remains unclear. Morocco's
authorities have not yet issued an official statement on the development. A
Moroccan source close to the border operations told AFP on condition of
anonymity Saturday that those being returned by Spain were being transported
home directly by bus or via the railway station in Tangier, 70 kilometres (45
miles) away. The Fnideq border crossing is now "completely secure", the source
added, as are the hills overlooking it, from which hundreds of people, mostly
young men, had thrown stones at security forces on Friday. Ceuta, a territory of
18.5 square kilometers (seven square miles), and the nearby enclave of Melilla
are Europe's only two land borders with Africa. Previous migrant surges have
occurred during tensions between Spain and Morocco, including in 2021 which led
more than 10,000 migrants to enter Ceuta in just two days.
Heat triggers fire at major Iraqi military base, defense
ministry says
Al Arabiya English/02 August ,2026
Soaring temperatures caused a fire to erupt in an arms depot at a major military
base north of Baghdad on Sunday, the Iraqi defense ministry said. “A fire broke
out in a warehouse at Camp Taji due to high temperatures,” defense ministry
spokesman Yehia Rasool said, adding that the depot contained “ammunition
belonging to the 9th armored division.”The government security media cell said
“an explosion erupted inside Camp Taji and some ammunition detonated due to the
heat.”Firefighters are battling the fire, it said. Camp Taji is a major Iraq
military base that previously hosted troops from a US-led anti-extremist
coalition, before they vacated it, along with other bases.Explosions at military
bases and munitions warehouses are relatively frequent in Iraq. Safety standards
in Iraq are often disregarded, and fires increase during the blistering summer
months, when temperatures approach 50C.With AFP
Venezuela, Dominican Republic agree to restore ties after
dispute over Maduro
LBCI/August 02/2026
Venezuela and the Dominican Republic agreed Sunday to work toward restoring
relations severed two years ago when the latter joined an international chorus
of complaints that Nicolas Maduro's claimed presidential reelection was
fraudulent.The two countries have now agreed on a road map for talks on "gradual
normalization" of their diplomatic relations, the Venezuelan foreign ministry
said in a statement. Maduro was topped and arrested by US forces in early
January. AFP
Death toll from migrant rush into Ceuta rises to 72
LBCI/August 02/2026
The death toll from Thursday's mass rush into Spain's North African enclave of
Ceuta from Morocco reached at least 72 on Sunday as five more bodies were found
along Ceuta's coast, officials said. More than 50,000 people crossed into Ceuta
by land and sea in an unprecedented surge that began on Thursday at one of the
European Union's only two land borders with Africa, prompting alarm across the
bloc. More than 48,000 returned to Morocco within 48 hours and more again over
the weekend, Spanish authorities said. The Spanish government representative in
Ceuta, Miguel Angel Perez, told reporters on Sunday that, in addition to the 72
fatalities, more than 1,000 people had been treated by health services since
Thursday. The situation in the city had improved markedly, he said, but more
remained to be done to re-establish normality. Some migrants drowned and others
were crushed while trying to climb a breakwater and border fence. Many had been
driven to migrate by economic hardship and encouraged by social media rumours.
OPEC+ to increase oil production by 188,000 bpd in
September
Al Arabiya English/August 02/2026
The seven OPEC+ members – Saudi Arabia, Russia, Iraq, Kuwait, Kazakhstan,
Algeria, and Oman – held a virtual meeting on Sunday to review oil market
conditions and future prospects, according to a statement. The countries, which
had previously announced additional voluntary production cuts in April and
November 2023, agreed to increase output by 188,000 barrels per day (bpd) in
September 2026. The increase forms part of the gradual unwinding of the
voluntary cuts first announced in April 2023. The group said the production
adjustment would also allow participating countries to accelerate compensation
for previous overproduction.The seven countries reaffirmed their commitment to
the OPEC+ Declaration of Cooperation, including the additional voluntary
production adjustments monitored by the Joint Ministerial Monitoring Committee (JMMC).
They also reiterated their commitment to fully compensate for excess production
dating back to January 2024. The countries will continue to meet monthly to
assess market developments, with their next meeting scheduled for September 6,
2026.
JMMC highlights energy security concerns
In a separate statement, the Joint Ministerial Monitoring Committee (JMMC) held
its 67th meeting via videoconference to review current oil market conditions and
reaffirmed the central role of the OPEC+ Declaration of Cooperation in
supporting the stability of global energy markets.The committee stressed the
importance of safeguarding international maritime shipping lanes to ensure the
uninterrupted flow of global energy supplies. It also expressed concern over
attacks targeting energy infrastructure, warning that restoring damaged energy
facilities to full operational capacity is costly and time-consuming, reducing
overall supply availability. The committee said any actions that undermine
energy security – whether by targeting energy infrastructure or disrupting
international shipping routes – increase market volatility and weaken the
collective efforts under the OPEC+ Declaration of Cooperation to stabilize
markets for the benefit of producers, consumers, and the global economy. The
JMMC also reviewed crude oil production data for May and June 2026 and praised
OPEC members and participating non-OPEC producers for their compliance with the
Declaration of Cooperation. The committee reaffirmed that it would continue
monitoring compliance with the production adjustments agreed at the 38th OPEC
and non-OPEC Ministerial Meeting held on December 5, 2024, as well as the
additional voluntary production adjustments announced by several participating
countries and overseen under agreements reached at the 52nd JMMC meeting on
February 1, 2024. The JMMC said it would continue to closely monitor market
developments and retained the authority to convene additional meetings or
recommend an OPEC+ ministerial meeting if necessary. The committee’s next
meeting, its 68th, is scheduled
The Latest LCCC analysis & editorials from
miscellaneous sources published
on August 02-03/2026
Iraq must choose the Arab path before
it is too late
Hani Hazaimeh/Arab News/August 02, 2026
For decades, Iraq has occupied a pivotal position in the Arab world. It is a
founding pillar of the regional order, a country whose stability has always been
inseparable from the stability of its neighbors. Yet today, Iraq finds itself at
a dangerous crossroads — not because of external enemies alone but because armed
groups operating from within its borders continue to undermine its sovereignty
and threaten the security of neighboring Arab states. The last thing Iraq needs
at this critical moment is a confrontation with its Arab neighbors.Reports of
attacks launched by Iraqi militias against neighboring countries have caused
alarm across the region. Whether these groups claim to act independently or
under broader ideological banners is ultimately irrelevant. As long as they
operate from Iraqi territory, their actions carry consequences for the Iraqi
state. Every drone launched and every missile fired chips away at Iraq’s
credibility as a sovereign nation capable of controlling its own territory.
From a Jordanian perspective, the situation is particularly troubling.
Jordan has consistently pursued a policy of good neighborliness, dialogue and
regional stability. Amman has repeatedly supported Iraq’s reconstruction,
economic recovery and reintegration into the Arab fold. It has invested heavily
in strengthening bilateral ties, facilitating trade, enhancing energy
cooperation and promoting security coordination because a stable Iraq serves
Jordan’s national interests as much as Iraq’s own. But no country can ignore
direct threats to its national security. According to informed regional sources,
Jordan has made it clear to Baghdad that it will not hesitate to defend its
territory and its citizens against any attack originating from Iraqi soil. Such
a position should surprise no one. Protecting national sovereignty is the first
responsibility of every government. Deterrence is not an act of escalation; it
is a necessity when state security is challenged.
Jordan’s reported message follows similar concerns expressed elsewhere in the
Arab world. Saudi Arabia has also conveyed a firm message to the Iraqi
government emphasizing the urgent need to rein in armed militias whose
activities threaten regional security. These parallel warnings should not be
viewed as isolated diplomatic exchanges but as indicators of growing Arab
frustration over Baghdad’s inability — or unwillingness — to fully monopolize
the use of force within its borders. The issue extends beyond Jordan or Saudi
Arabia. It concerns Iraq’s future regional identity. Since the defeat of Daesh,
Arab governments have worked steadily to welcome Iraq back into the Arab
political and economic system. Successive summits, infrastructure initiatives,
energy projects and investment agreements reflected a genuine desire to see Iraq
regain its historic Arab role. This opportunity remains available — but it is
not unlimited.The Iraqi government must demonstrate that decisions concerning
war and peace belong exclusively to the state. Every action by armed militias
that drags Iraq into regional confrontations increases the political cost of
maintaining that support.
The Iraqi government faces a defining test. It must demonstrate that decisions
concerning war and peace belong exclusively to the institutions of the state —
not to armed factions pursuing agendas that often align more closely with
external interests than with Iraq’s national priorities.
This is ultimately a question of sovereignty.A state cannot simultaneously claim
full sovereignty while allowing nonstate actors to determine its foreign policy
through military action. Such a contradiction weakens Iraq domestically,
isolates it diplomatically, discourages investment and places ordinary Iraqis at
risk of paying the price for decisions they neither make nor control.
Equally important is Iraq’s long-term strategic orientation.
Geography, economics, culture and history all point toward Iraq’s natural place
within its Arab environment. Constructive relations with Iran are both
legitimate and necessary; neighboring countries will always maintain complex
relationships. However, strategic partnership should never become strategic
dependency. Iraq’s national interests are best served by balanced diplomacy that
preserves good relations with all its neighbors, while ensuring that no external
actor or affiliated militia dictates its security policy. The overwhelming
majority of Iraqis seek stability, prosperity, functioning institutions and
economic opportunity — not perpetual regional confrontation. They deserve a
government capable of enforcing the rule of law equally across the country and
ensuring that no armed group can jeopardize Iraq’s future.
Jordan has no interest in confrontation with Iraq. Quite the opposite. A secure,
prosperous and sovereign Iraq is a strategic asset for the entire Arab world.
But friendship between states rests on mutual respect for sovereignty. No
country can be expected to tolerate repeated attacks while hoping diplomacy
alone will solve the problem. Baghdad still has time to change course. The Iraqi
government must decisively assert control over all armed actors operating within
its territory, reaffirm that the state’s institutions alone determine national
security policy, and restore confidence among its Arab neighbors. Failure to do
so risks not only military escalation but also the gradual erosion of the
political trust that Iraq has spent years rebuilding. Iraq’s future will not be
secured by militias operating beyond state authority. It will be secured by a
sovereign government that recognizes where its deepest strategic interests lie:
in stability, in regional cooperation and in a strong partnership with its Arab
brothers.
**Hani Hazaimeh is a senior editor based in Amman. X: @hanihazaimeh
Erdogan's Courtship of President Trump
Con Coughlin/Gatestone Institute/August 02/2026
Trump's remarks were seen as a rebuke to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin
Netanyahu, who is — quite rightly — opposed to F-35 sales to Turkey on the
grounds that it could ultimately prove a direct threat to Israel's security, as
well as to Cyprus and Greece, which Erdogan has repeatedly threatened.
Turkey was suspended from the multinational F-35 program during Trump's first
term in 2019, after acquiring Russia's S-400 air defence system. The purchase of
the S-400 also prompted US sanctions against Turkey's defence industry, imposed
in 2020.
Although Turkey tested the S-400 following its delivery and has not returned it
to Russia, the Turkish government claims that the system is in storage and has
hinted that it could possibly be moved to another country for safekeeping. What
could possibly go wrong?
Trump has even praised Erdogan for the role he has played in Syria, where his
support for Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa, an Islamist former al-Qaeda
terrorist now presenting himself to the world as a "moderate," was crucial to
Sharaa's overthrowing the Assad regime in December 2024.
Meanwhile the terrorists who make up Sharaa's regime have reportedly "gotten
their hands on a modern military" and have been persecuting Christians,
Alawites, Kurds and Druze.
Trump's willingness to engage with Erdogan overlooks numerous troubling issues
which, far from indicating that Ankara can be treated as a reliable ally of
Washington, show that, under Erdogan's leadership, Turkey's policy is generally
aimed at undermining American efforts to bring peace to the region.
While the US, together with a number of key regional allies such as Jordan, has
worked hard to persuade Hamas's terrorist leadership to disarm (a key demand in
Trump's 20-point peace plan to end the Gaza war), Erdogan and his Islamist
allies in Qatar have tried to dissuade Hamas from disarming.
The Trump administration's goals of disarming Hamas completely and ending its
involvement in Gaza have, in fact, been constantly undermined by Erdogan. He has
supported numerous counter-proposals, such as the suggestions that Hamas give up
its weapons to the Palestinian Authority (PA) or that the weapons be transferred
to some kind of "secure storage" under supposed oversight.
Both proposals, which have been rejected by Israel, were seemingly designed with
the aim of preserving Hamas' rule in Gaza.
Reports that "Turkey was prepared to provide Iran with aerial military support
if Kurdish militias had invaded the country during the Israeli-US war on Iran"
have laid bare the extent of Erdogan's unmistakable double dealing on the Iran
issue.
Trump might believe that Erdogan could prove to be a useful ally in terms of
helping to achieve the Trump administration's objectives in the Middle East and
beyond. The reality, however, is that, in terms of his overall attitude towards
the US and its objectives in the region, the Turkish leader deserves to be
treated more as an enemy than an ally.Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's
latest attempt to persuade the Trump administration to provide Ankara with
state-of-the-art F-35 stealth warplanes is just the latest example of the
Turkish leader's willingness to indulge in double-dealing as part of his
long-running campaign to establish Turkey as a dominant force in the Middle
East. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's latest attempt to persuade the
Trump administration to provide Ankara with state-of-the-art F-35 stealth
warplanes is just the latest example of the Turkish leader's willingness to
indulge in double-dealing as part of his long-running campaign to establish
Turkey as a dominant force in the Middle East.
Erdogan's courtship of US President Donald Trump has so far succeeded to the
extent that the American leader has publicly described Turkey as being "a
tremendous ally for me" and also saying that he regards Erdogan as a personal
friend.
Trump made the comments in response to the widespread criticism he has received
over his announcement, made at the recent Nato summit held in Ankara, that he is
considering reversing Turkey's suspension from the F-35 program, which was
imposed during his first term.
Speaking to reporters, Trump declared: "He's a friend of mine. And nobody tells
me what we should be selling or not. Turkey has been a tremendous ally for me. "
Trump's remarks were seen as a rebuke to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin
Netanyahu, who is — quite rightly — opposed to F-35 sales to Turkey on the
grounds that it could ultimately prove a direct threat to Israel's security, as
well as to Cyprus and Greece, which Erdogan has repeatedly threatened.
Turkey was suspended from the multinational F-35 program during Trump's first
term in 2019, after acquiring Russia's S-400 air defence system. The purchase of
the S-400 also prompted US sanctions against Turkey's defence industry, imposed
in 2020.
Although Turkey tested the S-400 following its delivery and has not returned it
to Russia, the Turkish government claims that the system is in storage and has
hinted that it could possibly be moved to another country for safekeeping. What
could possibly go wrong?
Erdogan has previously described Turkey's removal from the F-35 program as
unjust, arguing that restoring Ankara's participation would strengthen Nato's
collective security.
Irrespective of the concerns expressed by Israel and some Nato leaders about
Trump's openness to selling F-35s to Ankara, the US president appears determined
to forge closer ties with Erdogan in the belief that he can be a valuable ally
on a variety of fronts, from limiting Russian President Vladimir Putin's
expansionist aims to resolving seemingly intractable problems in the Middle
East.
A key factor in Trump's reasoning appears to be his belief that, having one of
the most powerful militaries in the region, Turkey can play a key role in
helping the Trump administration to achieve some of its key objectives in the
Middle East, from ending the Iran war to resolving the Gaza crisis.
Trump has even praised Erdogan for the role he has played in Syria, where his
support for Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa, an Islamist former al-Qaeda
terrorist now presenting himself to the world as a "moderate," was crucial to
Sharaa's overthrowing the Assad regime in December 2024.
Meanwhile the terrorists who make up Sharaa's regime have reportedly "gotten
their hands on a modern military" and have been persecuting Christians,
Alawites, Kurds and Druze.
Trump's willingness to engage with Erdogan overlooks numerous troubling issues
which, far from indicating that Ankara can be treated as a reliable ally of
Washington, show that, under Erdogan's leadership, Turkey's policy is generally
aimed at undermining American efforts to bring peace to the region.
The Trump administration's attempt to implement a lasting ceasefire in Gaza is a
case in point. While the US, together with a number of key regional allies such
as Jordan, has worked hard to persuade Hamas's terrorist leadership to disarm (a
key demand in Trump's 20-point peace plan to end the Gaza war), Erdogan and his
Islamist allies in Qatar have tried to dissuade Hamas from disarming.
The Trump administration's goals of disarming Hamas completely and ending its
involvement in Gaza have, in fact, been constantly undermined by Erdogan. He has
supported numerous counter-proposals, such as the suggestions that Hamas give up
its weapons to the Palestinian Authority (PA) or that the weapons be transferred
to some kind of "secure storage" under supposed oversight. Both proposals, which
have been rejected by Israel, were seemingly designed with the aim of preserving
Hamas' rule in Gaza.
Trump's announcement last week that a deal had finally been reached on the
"complete disarmament" of Hamas has, therefore, been achieved despite the
decidedly unhelpful interventions of Turkey and its ally Qatar, a fact the White
House would be well-advised to take on board in any future dealings with Ankara.
Erdogan's involvement in another of the key Middle East challenges facing Trump
-- namely, ending the Iran war -- also cannot be interpreted as helping the
Trump administration secure a successful outcome. Reports that "Turkey was
prepared to provide Iran with aerial military support if Kurdish militias had
invaded the country during the Israeli-US war on Iran" have laid bare the extent
of Erdogan's unmistakable double dealing on the Iran issue.
During the early phase of the Iran conflict, the Trump administration gave
serious consideration to backing a Kurdish-led military revolt against the
ayatollahs, a move that was bitterly opposed by Erdogan. That the Turkish leader
was prepared to deploy Turkish warplanes against US-backed militias in Iran
would have meant that he was, in effect, launching military action to thwart
American objectives -- a move that is hardly consistent with Erdogan being "a
tremendous ally".
Trump might believe that Erdogan could prove to be a useful ally in terms of
helping to achieve the Trump administration's objectives in the Middle East and
beyond. The reality, however, is that, in terms of his overall attitude towards
the US and its objectives in the region, the Turkish leader deserves to be
treated more as an enemy than an ally.
*Con Coughlin is the Telegraph's Defence and Foreign Affairs Editor and a
Distinguished Senior Fellow at Gatestone Institute.
https://www.gatestoneinstitute.org/22762/erdogan-courts-trump
© 2026 Gatestone Institute. All rights reserved. The articles printed here do
not necessarily reflect the views of the Editors or of Gatestone Institute.
Battle to dismantle Iran’s IRGC geography: From Yemen to
the Levant
Raghida Dergham/Al Arabiya English/02 August ,2026
The question today is no longer whether Donald Trump will choose war or
negotiations with Iran. That door remains ajar, opened and closed according to
his political calculations and mercurial instincts. The world has grown weary of
this dangerous cycle. The real contest unfolding alongside the wait for a
presidential decision is not the overthrow of the regime in Tehran but the
dismantling of the geopolitical architecture the IRGC has built over four
decades. The measure of success will not be military strikes or another round of
negotiations. It will be determined in Iraq, Yemen, Syria, and Lebanon, where
the new American strategy is being tested and where Iran’s ability to preserve
its regional influence will ultimately be decided. The IRGC remains the true
center of power in Iran’s regional project. It commands the proxies, directs the
militias, and defines the priorities of confrontation. Washington’s Departments
of State, Defense, and Treasury increasingly treat these arenas not as separate
files but as one interconnected strategic theater. That is the approach of
Donald Trump’s national security team, in contrast to the Witkoff-Kushner camp,
which continues to press the president to focus narrowly on a Hormuz agreement
while postponing every other issue, from Iran’s nuclear ambitions and missile
program to its regional proxies.
Iraq has become the pivotal arena in this shift. Its importance extends beyond
geography. It is the bridge linking the Gulf to Syria and Lebanon, making every
effort to reintegrate Iraq into its Arab environment a direct challenge to the
foundations of Iranian influence.
Saudi-Iraqi relations have therefore entered a decisive phase. The issue is no
longer limited to investment or economic cooperation but has become part of the
effort to construct a new regional balance. Tehran understands that losing Iraq
politically would represent a strategic defeat for its broader regional project,
which explains why IRGC-linked factions have sought to obstruct Iraq’s opening
toward Saudi Arabia.
Last week’s reported joint American-Saudi military operations against Iraqi
factions affiliated with the Revolutionary Guard marked an important strategic
development. Saudi Arabia has moved beyond containing escalation toward
participating in collective deterrence designed to protect regional security and
maritime routes. It reflects a broader reassessment of the assumption that
avoiding confrontation would prevent Iranian retaliation. Experience has
demonstrated otherwise.
Yemen has become the most urgent test. The Houthis are no longer merely an
Iranian proxy operating inside Yemen. They have evolved into a strategic
instrument capable of threatening international navigation through the Bab
al-Mandeb Strait. Tehran seeks to compensate for any loss of leverage in the
Strait of Hormuz by creating an equivalent pressure point in the Red Sea.
The international effort to protect maritime navigation therefore extends well
beyond safeguarding commercial shipping. Its strategic objective is to prevent
the Revolutionary Guard from reproducing the Hormuz model in Bab al-Mandeb
through its Houthi proxy.
Syria represents the decisive link in Iran’s land corridor to the Mediterranean.
The issue is no longer the interception of individual weapons shipments but
preventing the reconstruction of the logistical network that connected Iran to
Hezbollah through Syrian territory for years.
Turkey has consequently become an indispensable partner in stabilizing Syria and
preventing the return of that corridor. As this reality becomes more firmly
established, Lebanon’s future grows increasingly tied to developments inside
Syria. President Joseph Aoun’s visit to Turkey should therefore be understood in
this broader strategic context, particularly regarding border security and
preventing Syrian territory from once again serving as the logistical lifeline
sustaining Hezbollah.
Tehran is likely to compensate for the loss of the Syrian corridor by activating
its allied factions inside Iraq to destabilize Syria or reopen older channels of
influence. This represents one of Damascus’s most serious challenges and one it
is preparing to confront through coordination with Saudi Arabia, Turkey, and the
United States.Prime Minister Nawaf Salam’s visit to Baghdad reflected more than
economic cooperation. It pointed toward a new relationship between two states
confronting the same challenge: consolidating state authority, establishing the
state’s monopoly over arms, strengthening Arab partnerships, and combating
entrenched corruption.If the Revolutionary Guard succeeds in preserving its
political, economic, and military dominance over Iraq through allied factions
and systemic corruption, responsibility will rest not only with Tehran but also
with Washington, whose post-2003 policies dismantled Iraq’s institutions and
opened the way for Iranian penetration.
Today Iraqi oil revenues continue to pass through New York before reaching
Baghdad. The corruption exposed in this process is a profound failure for Iraqi
officials, but it also raises difficult questions for American authorities that
were aware of how these financial mechanisms benefited the Islamic Republic.
Washington should seriously examine whether Iraqi oil revenues can continue
flowing unchanged if they are used to finance armed groups aligned with the
Revolutionary Guard. Iran retains significant instruments of influence, and the
Revolutionary Guard remains capable of activating its proxies across multiple
fronts. Yet the central issue is no longer confined to uranium enrichment or
another negotiating round. The contest now concerns the geography through which
Iranian influence has been projected across the region.The Islamic Republic
continues to regard its proxy network as strategically inseparable from its
nuclear program, missile arsenal, and drone capabilities. Assuming that
dismantling this regional structure will be easy would be a serious misreading
of the challenge, even if Iran’s Syrian architecture collapsed with remarkable
speed after the fall of Bashar al-Assad’s regime.
Hezbollah has become the weakest link, particularly after Hamas’s military
collapse in Gaza and its acceptance of disarmament. Hezbollah was once Tehran’s
principal strategic asset, extending Iranian influence to the Mediterranean and
beyond. That reality has been transformed by Iran’s strategic losses in Syria
and by the Gulf states’ increasingly explicit partnership with the United States
against IRGC-backed militias. Israel’s sustained military pressure further
constrains both Hezbollah and the Revolutionary Guard, while Iran’s worsening
financial crisis – driven by economic pressure and restrictions on maritime
trade – reduces its ability to sustain proxy forces across the region.The
Houthis have consequently become Tehran’s most valuable remaining regional
asset. They have been equipped with missiles, drones, explosive boats, and
advanced weaponry capable not only of threatening international navigation but
also of drawing Saudi Arabia into direct confrontation. US Central Command
appears to be planning for precisely these contingencies. Its strategy includes
expanding operations against Iranian drone production and launch facilities,
recognizing drones as Tehran’s preferred low-cost weapon against the Gulf states
and Jordan. Washington is unlikely to lift maritime pressure unless Iran
retreats simultaneously on Hormuz, its nuclear program, ballistic missiles, and
regional proxies – a concession Tehran is unlikely to make.
Iran will therefore mobilize its remaining proxies, particularly the Houthis and
factions within Iraq’s Popular Mobilization Units. The survival of these proxies
has become inseparable from the Revolutionary Guard’s own future. For that
reason, developments in Iraq, Yemen, Syria, and Lebanon will shape the future of
Iran’s regional project far more than any communiqué issued after negotiations
or any temporary ceasefire.The decisive battle now stretches from sustained
American military pressure on Revolutionary Guard command structures inside Iran
to the dismantling of the regional network Tehran painstakingly constructed
across the Arab world.It is there – not at the negotiating table – that it will
ultimately be decided whether the Revolutionary Guard can preserve its regional
architecture or whether the Middle East has truly entered a new era in which the
balance of influence is being fundamentally redrawn.
Trump cozies up to one ally and sours on another
Con Coughlin/Al-Majalla/August 02, 2026
Nothing better illustrates US President Donald Trump’s whimsical approach to
dealing with America’s key allies than his latest dealings with Ukrainian
President Volodymyr Zelensky and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, both
of whom he met at the White House last Tuesday. Only recently, Trump was talking
of Netanyahu as one of his closest allies, working hard with him to implement
his plan to end the war in Gaza. Since then, relations between the two men have
soured considerably, to the extent that the American president has not shied
away from lambasting the Israeli leader in public, especially over their
differing approaches to the war against Iran. Trump’s attempts to rein in
Netanyahu, who insists the war against Iran can only end once the country’s
nuclear program has been completely destroyed, has led him to claim that
Netanyahu will ultimately bow to his wishes. “He’ll do whatever I want him to
do,” Trump said. Zelensky has also been at odds with the Trump administration at
times. Both President Trump and Vice President J.D. Vance gave the Ukrainian war
leader a public dressing down in the Oval Office last year, including for his
attire and gratitude. For most observers, this represented an all-time low in
relations.At the heart of Trump’s fractious relationship with Zelensky has been
the American leader’s belief that he could use his personal relationship with
Russian President Vladimir Putin to end the war — a belief that led Trump to
initiate numerous diplomatic overtures aimed at agreeing a ceasefire. The high
point of these efforts to persuade Putin to compromise came in August last year,
when they met in Alaska. But Putin has refused to engage seriously in peace
talks and continued his large-scale attacks against Ukraine, including during
Zelensky’s White House visit. This has led Trump to conclude that he is wasting
his time with the Russian leader.
Cue a change in his approach to Zelensky, which was very much in evidence at the
White House. Ukraine’s president and Israel’s prime minister were both in town
to attend the funeral of highly regarded Republican Senator Lindsey Graham, who
was a staunch ally of both Tel Aviv and Kyiv. The positivity surrounding
Zelensky’s visit to the White House stood in stark contrast to the reception
afforded to Netanyahu. The Trump administration has been reluctant to grant Kyiv
a license to produce its own Patriot missiles, which the Ukrainians desperately
need to protect vital infrastructure from Russian missiles. Yet, judging by the
comments, the US has gradually shifted its position, opening the way for Ukraine
to gain access to sensitive missile technology that could have a profound impact
on its war effort. Trump had suggested he may be amenable to the Ukrainian
leader’s request at the NATO Summit last month. The Patriots are currently one
of the only systems that can defend against Russia’s ballistic missiles and
stocks of the interceptor are precious, so the Ukrainian leader was beaming with
this development. “He accepted that he will give us licenses,” Zelensky told Fox
News after the meeting.
Zelensky had earlier visited US weapons manufacturer Lockheed Martin, which
makes the Patriot air defense systems. In a statement posted on X, alongside
photos of him posing with company executives, Zelensky wrote: “We talked about
our joint capabilities regarding Patriots and other systems. Our teams are
already working on specific solutions to move to joint production as quickly as
possible.”The Patriot can intercept ballistic missiles with flight ranges of up
to 1,000 km. One battery can simultaneously track up to eight targets and detect
more than 100 projectiles. It could take up to a year before Kyiv is able to
produce its own versions of the Patriots but every effort will be made to cut
the time down. The positivity surrounding Zelensky’s visit to the White House
stood in stark contrast to the reception afforded to Netanyahu, who had a
private meeting with Trump in the Oval Office shortly after Zelensky. The White
House was rumored to have initially declined to schedule a meeting between
Netanyahu and Trump over concerns about the Israeli premier’s stalling tactics
in Gaza. Only after Netanyahu pushed Israel’s security Cabinet to approve the
deployment of an International Stabilization Force in Gaza did Trump agree to
see him, according to reports. Trump regards the ISF as a key component of his
plan to bring lasting peace to Gaza but its deployment has so far been stalled
by Israeli objections to its role in the enclave. Although they met, the
relationship between the two men is understood to still be tense, despite
Netanyahu claiming it had been “one of the best conversations I have had” with
Trump. A photo of them in the Oval Office was shared by Netanyahu’s team but,
behind the scenes, officials reported a frosty atmosphere, with Netanyahu
expressing skepticism about Trump’s efforts to reach a deal with Iran.
Netanyahu would rather increase pressure on Iran “through kinetic and
non-kinetic means,” according to a senior Israeli official in a briefing with
reporters. Yet with the wars in Ukraine and Iran showing no sign of ending,
Trump’s shifting position in his dealings with Ukraine and Israel could have a
profound impact on how both conflicts are ultimately resolved.
• Con Coughlin is one of Britain’s leading journalists and an international
best-selling author. His previous posts include Executive Defense and Foreign
Affairs Editor with London’s Daily Telegraph. He is a leading expert on global
conflict, international security and the Middle East.
How does Hamas’ declaration change the equation in Gaza?
TAREK ALI AHMAD/Arab News/August 02/2026
LONDON: For nearly four decades, Hamas has presented itself as an armed
resistance movement whose military wing is inseparable from its political
identity. Since its founding in 1987, the group has fought successive wars with
Israel, weathered repeated military campaigns and resisted international
pressure to relinquish its weapons, arguing that armed resistance remains
necessary while the Israeli occupation continues.That is why its recent
declaration expressing a willingness to discuss disarmament as part of a broader
political settlement has attracted global attention. Although the proposal is
heavily qualified and contingent on Israeli withdrawal, a permanent ceasefire
and the establishment of a Palestinian state, it is the first time since the
current war began that Hamas has publicly entertained the prospect of giving up
the military capability that has defined it for decades. Whether the statement
represents a genuine strategic shift or simply another negotiating position
remains fiercely debated. But it has nevertheless injected a new variable into a
conflict that, until now, has largely revolved around military operations,
hostage negotiations and humanitarian access. “If the agreement announced by
(President Donald Trump’s) Board of Peace is implemented, it will go a long way
toward opening space for renewed diplomacy to expand Arab-Israeli integration in
tandem with progress toward a Palestinian state,” Daniel Shapiro, a former US
ambassador to Israel who later served as a deputy assistant secretary of defense
for the Middle East, said. “But that is a big if. Spoilers abound. Hamas has a
long history of seeming to accept deals that in fact come laden with caveats. It
would be in keeping with their history to walk back their apparent agreement to
disarm.”The announcement also comes amid renewed diplomatic momentum surrounding
the Board of Peace to oversee implementation of a comprehensive settlement.
Under the proposed framework, Hamas’ disarmament would be synchronized with a
phased Israeli withdrawal from Gaza, the deployment of an international
stabilization force, the establishment of a technocratic Palestinian
administration and the launch of a massive reconstruction effort. The proposal
gained fresh attention following Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s
recent visit to Washington, where Gaza dominated discussions with Trump. While
Trump expressed optimism that negotiations were moving in the right direction,
Netanyahu has stopped short of publicly embracing the framework, reflecting the
political and security divisions that continue to shape Israel’s approach to
ending the war. “The proof of the pudding is in the eating. You need to look at
the details, the process and the timelines, and then see where it goes from
there,” Yossi Mekelberg, professor of international relations and an associate
fellow of the MENA Program at Chatham House, told Arab News. “You also need to
determine whether this is a negotiating position or a message directed not only
at Israel, through a video like this, but also at Palestinian society and the
people of Gaza, because they are suffering. This puts the onus on Israel and
should create a little pressure on Israel.”For much of its history, Hamas has
maintained that disarmament could only occur after Palestinian national
aspirations had been fulfilled. The group’s founding charter rejected Israel’s
existence, although later political documents softened some of that language
without abandoning armed resistance as a central principle. Unlike the Palestine
Liberation Organization, which formally recognized Israel under the Oslo
Accords, Hamas continued to argue that negotiations alone could not secure
Palestinian rights. Its military wing, the Izz Al-Din Al-Qassam Brigades, grew
into one of the region’s most formidable non-state armed forces, developing an
extensive tunnel network, manufacturing rockets and drones, and surviving
multiple Israeli military campaigns.
Even previous ceasefire negotiations brokered by Egypt, Qatar and the US focused
largely on temporary truces, prisoner exchanges and humanitarian arrangements.
The future of Hamas’ weapons was generally considered a red line. That appears
to be changing — at least in theory. The latest proposal does not amount to an
unconditional surrender. Rather, it envisages a phased process in which Hamas
would relinquish its military capabilities alongside reciprocal Israeli steps.
Under the proposed framework, disarmament would proceed in parallel with Israeli
military withdrawals, international monitoring, reconstruction efforts and the
transfer of Gaza’s administration to a technocratic Palestinian body.Hamas has
made clear that any such process remains contingent upon guarantees of a
permanent ceasefire, Israeli withdrawal and a credible political pathway toward
Palestinian statehood. Supporters of the proposal argue that it reflects a
recognition that military confrontation alone cannot determine Gaza’s future.
Critics counter that the conditions attached are so extensive that the
declaration may ultimately prove more symbolic than substantive.
This, according to Mekelberg, “puts Israel in a position where it needs to
decide how to react, especially during an election period. Israeli politicians
will always say: ‘We will not accept this, and we will not accept that’.”
“But the most important thing, again, is to see whether you can create a process
similar to Northern Ireland, in which the danger is reduced by putting weapons
beyond use.”
He added: “This would then require Israel to justify why it continues to occupy
Gaza and why it is not prepared to withdraw.“Israel will remain skeptical
because skepticism, especially before elections, serves its political purposes.
But what should be done, as these initial negotiations begin, is to explore
every step: security for Israel, an end to the occupation and disarmament.”The
timing is unlikely to be coincidental. After nearly two years of devastating
conflict, Gaza has suffered widespread destruction. Entire neighborhoods have
been reduced to rubble, much of the enclave’s civilian infrastructure has
collapsed, and humanitarian agencies continue to warn of worsening conditions
for the population. Hamas has also suffered significant military losses. Much of
its senior leadership has been killed, its command structure has been repeatedly
targeted, and its ability to operate openly has been severely constrained. While
the group remains capable of fighting, analysts broadly agree that the
battlefield has changed dramatically since the conflict began.
Regional dynamics have also shifted.
Arab governments that have consistently backed the Palestinian cause have
increasingly emphasized reconstruction and governance rather than continued
military confrontation. At the same time, international discussions have
increasingly focused on who will ultimately govern Gaza once the fighting ends.
Those efforts gathered momentum during Netanyahu’s meetings in Washington, where
the Board of Peace and Gaza’s postwar governance reportedly featured
prominently. Although both Washington and regional mediators have portrayed the
initiative as the most comprehensive framework yet presented, major differences
remain over sequencing, security guarantees and political recognition. These
factors may collectively have altered Hamas’ strategic calculations. “Meeting
Hamas’ central demands is very difficult for the negotiators. Again, everyone
says that this is a tactical negotiating position. At the end of the day, the
two sides do not trust each other,” Mekelberg said. “What they need is to trust
the mediators. In other words, every step must demonstrate that there is
sensitivity in the process. Hamas will not volunteer to compromise. What you can
do is bring the two processes together and establish areas in which each side
takes an action in return for an action by the other side.”Looking ahead,
Mekelberg said: “By the time Israel has completely withdrawn, Hamas should be
completely disarmed. Each stage should have contingencies. Both sides need to
understand the contingencies and the consequences of non-compliance. There
cannot be withdrawal without disarmament, or disarmament without withdrawal. “It
has to happen in parallel, with every step verified. Both sides must comply, and
then the process can move forward.”For Israel, however, Hamas’ declaration
presents a complicated dilemma. Successive Israeli governments have argued that
the war cannot end while Hamas retains both military capability and governing
authority inside Gaza. If Hamas is genuinely prepared to relinquish its weapons,
one of Israel’s principle stated war aims could, at least in theory, be achieved
through negotiation rather than continued military operations.
Yet skepticism inside Israel remains profound.
Israeli officials have repeatedly questioned whether Hamas would fully dismantle
its military infrastructure, surrender hidden stockpiles or permanently abandon
armed resistance. Even if an agreement were reached, enormous practical
questions remain over verification, enforcement and long-term monitoring.
Political considerations further complicate matters. Netanyahu returned from
Washington facing pressure from coalition partners who remain deeply opposed to
any arrangement that links Israeli withdrawal to Hamas’ phased disarmament or
leaves the group with any future political role inside Gaza. Those domestic
constraints could prove as significant as the diplomatic negotiations
themselves.
“Gazans may hope that Hamas turning over weapons to a Palestinian governing body
will stop the daily killing of Palestinians, not only by Israel but by Hamas and
other militias as well,” said Gina-Abercrombie-Winstanley, a distinguished
fellow at the Atlantic Council’s Snowcroft Center for Strategy and Security.
“However, Gazans know Netanyahu well. And they know it will take sustained
attention and pressure from the US and others to get and keep the Israeli leader
in check. “Netanyahu is a leader who famously defies US presidents and bragged
that he was able to block a Palestinian state for decades; one who supports
increased Israeli control of the Gaza Strip and who is likely to resist full
compliance with this deal to protect his political future. Gazans will wait and
see.” Indeed, the implications extend well beyond Gaza itself. The future of the
territory has become intertwined with wider regional diplomacy. Arab states have
argued that reconstruction requires a credible political horizon, while
international donors have indicated that billions of dollars in rebuilding
assistance will depend upon stable governance and durable security arrangements.
The proposal could also influence broader diplomatic efforts, including
discussions surrounding regional normalization, security cooperation and renewed
attempts to revive a two-state framework.At the center of those discussions lies
another unresolved question: if Hamas eventually gives up its military role, who
governs Gaza?
“It should ultimately be the Palestinian community, with the support of the
international community,” Mekelberg said. “At the end of the day, however, the
governing structure has to be organic to Gaza. “It must also view Gaza and the
West Bank as one unit and avoid perpetuating the separation between them. “Any
initial governing arrangement should only be temporary. It must eventually be
followed by elections in which both sides participate, as a first step towards a
two-state solution. “If anyone sees an interim arrangement as the final outcome,
then we will not move from one stage to the next.” The Board of Peace envisages
an interim technocratic Palestinian administration operating under international
supervision while reconstruction begins and new Palestinian security
institutions are developed.
Longer term, however, difficult political questions remain over whether the
Palestinian Authority would ultimately return to govern Gaza, whether elections
could be held, and whether Hamas could evolve into a purely political movement
divorced from its military wing.
Whether such scenarios are politically feasible remains uncertain.
“In principle, if this works well and Hamas then joins the international
community and is allowed to contest elections, that could be possible,”
Mekelberg said.
“However, I think there must be a separation from the military wing. This should
also be regarded as a confidence-building measure through which the process can
move forward and eventually be expanded to the West Bank. “For this to happen,
we need Palestinian elections, and we will need a completely different
government in Israel. “It is a first step — a very important step — but it is
only the beginning of a long process.”For now, the declaration raises more
questions than answers.
Even if a political agreement is reached, who would supervise Hamas’
disarmament? How would compliance be verified? Would Israel accept an
internationally monitored process rather than insisting on the complete military
defeat of Hamas? And could the Board of Peace command sufficient trust among all
parties to oversee one of the most complex post-conflict transitions in modern
Middle Eastern history? Perhaps most importantly, after decades of conflict and
deep mutual mistrust, is either side politically capable of selling such an
agreement to its own public?
Those questions remain unanswered. Yet the significance of Hamas’ declaration
lies less in what has already changed than in what may now be possible to
discuss. For the first time since the current conflict erupted, negotiations
appear to be extending beyond ceasefires and hostage exchanges toward the much
larger question of Gaza’s long-term political and security future.Whether that
ultimately proves to be the beginning of a genuine political transition or
another unrealized diplomatic opening will depend not on statements alone, but
on the willingness of all parties to convert unprecedented rhetoric into equally
unprecedented action.
Selected Face Book & X tweets
on August 02/2026
Ambassador Mike Huckabee
I read Victor Frankl’s book “Man’s Search for Meaning” as a high school student.
Had a profound & lasting impact on my life. Living in Israel I visit
Naftali Bennett נפתלי בנט
Today, exactly 36 years ago, I was drafted into Sayeret Matkal.
And it started off badly.
(A few personal words from me to the August 26 recruits)
The first weeks of basic training were very tough for me.
I was an outsider.
Most of the guys around me had a dad or brother or friend who'd been a Sayeret
alum or at least an infantryman, but I didn't know anyone like that.
I came from another world, the son of two new immigrant parents who barely knew
anyone in the country.
A bit of an outsider.
I felt like everyone else in the platoon understood more, was more prepared than
me, and I was constantly having to ask to figure out what needed to be done and
when.
I caught a lot of punishments and reprimands because of mistakes.
So they called it 'shock at the induction center.'
Today they just call it shock troops
The beginning was tough for me, but the rest was better.
I pushed myself and completed the course in Sayeret Matkal, and I even continued
as a squad commander and platoon leader for fighters in the Maglan Unit.
Those years shaped me into who I am today.
I'm telling you this, dear recruits, because I'm sure that among you there will
be some for whom the beginning will be tough.
And it's important to me that you know it's okay.
That even a bad start can have an excellent ending.
And one day the tough period will end and you'll look back and be very proud of
yourselves.
I love you all very much and pray that God will keep you all safe🇮🇱
Naftali Bennett
August '90, Giora Team
Jean Riachi
There was a time when the message was unmistakable: “Riad Salameh is a red
line.”That red line eventually disappeared. When protecting him became more
costly than abandoning him, those who had defended him for years let him fall to
save themselves.
Today, new red lines have been drawn around some of the other names mentioned in
the investigations.Perhaps those red lines will also disappear when the
political cost of protecting them becomes too high. That is how mafias operate.
They protect their own until they no longer can. Then they sacrifice a few to
preserve the rest. And sooner or later, even those who believed they were
untouchable discover that their turn has come.
Hussain Abdul-Hussain
I have no access to L’Orient Today’s series on Lebanese banker Sehnaoui. But if
the quote below is a sample, then it’s a showcase of the unprofessionalism that
has spread through Lebanese (and most global) media. The authors wrote an
“investigative” report, including on events in Washington, seemingly without
even visiting Washington. If they had, they’d have known that Sehnaoui is a rare
feature at the events of the Lebanese Embassy in DC, most of which I have
personally attended.
Too bad journalism has lost so much of its past credibly. Also, Fares would have
had to give up his U.S. citizenship and Salem was over retirement age and not
eligible for ambassadorship. Since this was a political appointment, the
Lebanese Foreign Ministry was not involved in the process. Half a dozen mistakes
in a few lines.
Tom Harb
Back in March, Saudi Arabia pressured Trump for a ceasefire and negotiations
with Iran. Today it happened again, MBS called Trump to urge de-escalation
before another wave of strikes. That leverage is real. But it shouldn’t only be
spent on crisis management.
If MBS wants lasting regional stability not just averting the next disaster !
Normalization with Israel is the missing piece: a standing architecture of
deterrence and prosperity, not just phone-call diplomacy.The alternative is a
region forever one escalation away from chaos, while Iran’s regime looks for its
next opening to destabilize its neighbors. The window for a bold shift is now.
Decide wisely.
Hussain Abdul-Hussain
Lebanese media now punches back against Hezbollah’s campaign targeting banker
Sehnaoui for dining with Israeli PM, saying boycott law is outdated, must be
scrapped.
I love you, Lebanese peace seekers!
Israeli Air Force
https://x.com/IAFsite/status/2083799866287820928/video/1
The IDF struck yesterday in southern Gaza Strip and eliminated the terrorist
Salem Jamal Abdul Rahman Abu Labaid, head of a Nukhba unit in the Hamas terror
organization.
The terrorist infiltrated Kibbutz Nir Oz during the October 7 massacre.
In an additional strike during the weekend in central Gaza Strip, the terrorist
Muhammad Abdul Nasser Muhammad al-Khatib, a commander in the al-Mughazi
Battalion of the Hamas terror organization, was eliminated. The terrorists
operated under the organization's military wing and attempted to advance terror
plots against our forces. The terrorists were eliminated in precise airstrikes
to remove the threat. IDF forces under Southern Command are deployed in the area
in accordance with the agreement and will continue to operate to remove any
threat.
Dr. Reda Mansour
Jihad and Corruption
Ministers, governors, and spokespeople of the al-Jolani regime celebrate at a
wedding in Syria and sing "Death, Not Humiliation" while most of the country is
in ruins, millions in refugee camps, and the people are humiliated and dying.
The essence of jihadist corruption in one video.
בני גנץ - Benny Gantz
Soon after joining the War Cabinet after Oct. 7 - I met various US generals who
had one piece of advise when it came to Gaza & Hamas “Don’t rush to your
failure”.
I responded simply, “You must understand - Gaza isn’t a far away mission for us,
it’s a few hundred metres from Israeli homes; children, families. We don’t have
the privilege of not acting now”. Today - Israel cannot compromise on Hamas’
full disarmament in Gaza before retreating from further territory. The price of
failure isn’t a failed mission far away - it’s the security of our children.
John Spencer
The developing free trade agreement between India and Israel is huge. “Israel is
recognised globally for innovation, research and development, precision
manufacturing and cutting-edge technologies. India offers scale, manufacturing
capability, a large domestic market, highly skilled human capital and an
increasingly attractive investment ecosystem.”