English LCCC Newsbulletin For Lebanese, Lebanese Related, Global News &
Editorials
For August 27/2026
Compiled & Prepared by: Elias Bejjani
#elias_bejjani_news
The Bulletin's Link on the lccc Site
https://eliasbejjaninews.com/aaaanewsfor2026/english.August
27.26.htm
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Bible Quotations For today
His master commended the dishonest manager
because he had acted shrewdly
Luke 16/01-08: "The Lord Jesus said to the disciples: ‘There was a rich
man who had a manager, and charges were brought to him that this man was
squandering his property. So he summoned him and said to him, "What is this that
I hear about you? Give me an account of your management, because you cannot be
my manager any longer." Then the manager said to himself, "What will I do, now
that my master is taking the position away from me? I am not strong enough to
dig, and I am ashamed to beg. I have decided what to do so that, when I am
dismissed as manager, people may welcome me into their homes."So, summoning his
master’s debtors one by one, he asked the first, "How much do you owe my
master?" He answered, "A hundred jugs of olive oil." He said to him, "Take your
bill, sit down quickly, and make it fifty."Then he asked another, "And how much
do you owe?" He replied, "A hundred containers of wheat." He said to him, "Take
your bill and make it eighty."And his master commended the dishonest manager
because he had acted shrewdly; for the children of this age are more shrewd in
dealing with their own generation than are the children of light."
Titles For The English LCCC Lebanese & Lebanese Related News &
Editorials published on August 26-27/2026
Tom Barrack: An American Envoy, or a History-Ignorant Dealmaker Lost in
the Quagmire of Politics?/
Elias Bejjani/August 25/2026
On the Anniversary of Bashir’s Election as President of the Republic/Elias
Bejjani/August 23, 2026
Video Link and Transcript of an Interview with Tom Harb, Director of the Middle
East American Coalition
Video link and transcript of an interview with the head of the “Other Choice”
movement, Alfred Madi,
Issa from Dar al-Fatwa: Why do you ask Israel to withdraw, but not Hezbollah to
disarm?
Irael adjusts Hezbollah tactics as Italy’s role in Lebanon remains unclear: The
details
Aoun reiterates that 'there is no option but negotiation'
Reports: Aoun contacts US to find solution for Ali al-Taher
Israel limits residents' movement in 3 Christian towns in south Lebanon
Israeli army says prefers 'political course' that leads to disarming Hezbollah
South Lebanon: Latest developments
Israel burns forests and farmlands in south Lebanon
UN committee urges Israel to stop rhetoric dehumanizing Lebanese
Lebanon awaits Security Council session on alternatives to UNIFIL as Aoun backs
negotiations
What Outcomes Will Hezbollah MP’s Visit to Tehran Have on Lebanon?
Lebanon's electricity authority starts cutting power over $258 million in unpaid
bills
Lebanon Pays, Amal and Hezbollah Take Credit: Inside Zawtar al-Gharbiyeh's
Temporary Shelters/Claudia Groeling & Ralph Atrach/This Is Beirut/August 26/2026
Treasury Says Iran Controls Hezbollah. Lebanon Is Still Responsible./David
Daoud/FDD-Policy Brief/August 26/2026
Titles For The Latest English LCCC Miscellaneous Reports And News
published on August 26-27/2026
Trump says he believes that Iranian leader Khamenei still alive
Iran ‘plotted to assassinate’ Israel Prime Minister Bejamin Netanyahu’s son Yair
in Florida
Netanyahu says no diplomatic deal possible with Iran 'savages'
Israel launches deadly strike on Gaza tent
'Point of no return' if Israel-Hamas truce fails: US envoy to Gaza board
No answers a year after Israeli soldiers kill 22 Palestinians, including
journalists and rescuers
Iran president says 'US will achieve nothing' with economic pressure
Iran urges Qatar to clarify fate of missing Iranian pilots, state media says
Qatar’s PM to visit Tehran Thursday
Iran and Oman hold talks on managing Strait of Hormuz
Iran Guards say agreed with Oman to share revenues from Hormuz
Germany draws down its mission in Iraq's Kurdish region
Syria president, Putin discuss deepening ties in call
China, India reaffirm border peace, expand communication channels
Titles For The Latest English LCCC analysis & editorials
from miscellaneous sources published
on August 26-27/2026
Former grand mufti’s life sentence
shows how far Syria will pursue Assad-era religious enablers/HANI NESIRA/Arab
News/August 26, 2026
Gaza ‘does not have another catastrophe left in it,’ Board of Peace chief warns
Security Council/Ephrem Kossaify/Arab News/August 26, 2026
Maps Looking for an Emergency Exit/Jamal Al-Kashki/Asharq Al Awsat/August
26/2026
A Review of Political and Economic Geography/Dr. Abdel Monem Said/Asharq Al
Awsat/August 26/2026
Isaac Choua: A Love Letter to Lebanon from a Lebanese Jew
Latest English LCCC Lebanese &
Lebanese Related News & Editorials published
on August 26-27/2026
Tom Barrack: An American Envoy, or a
History-Ignorant Dealmaker Lost in the Quagmire of Politics?
Elias Bejjani/August 25/2026
Ever since Tom Barrack entered the current U.S. administration as the United
States Ambassador to Turkey and its Special Envoy to Syria and Iraq, he has not
stopped raising questions and controversy regarding the true nature of his role,
and the extent to which his positions and statements align with the foreign
policy he is supposedly in the region to represent and execute. He is neither a
traditional professional diplomat, nor a historian specializing in the Middle
East, nor someone with a long career in American diplomatic institutions. The
man essentially hails from the world of finance, investment, and real estate; he
founded Colony Capital and was a prominent player in the realms of real estate
investment and international deals, with extensive relations, interests, and
business dealings in the Arabian Gulf region. He is also a longtime friend of
President Donald Trump, chaired his 2017 presidential inaugural committee, and
has remained close to Trump’s political and financial circles for years.
Tom Barrack’s Problem with Politics
The Middle East is not a distressed piece of real estate that Barrack can buy at
a low price and resell at a profit, nor is it a bankrupt company he can rescue
with a financial deal, nor a political bazaar where states and peoples are
managed through the logic of brokerage and barter. Politics in the Middle
East—especially in Lebanon, Syria, Israel, Turkey, and Iraq—requires a profound
knowledge of history, geography, demography, civilizational and sectarian
conflicts, and a precise understanding of the nature of competing regional
projects. Herein lies Barrack’s problem: the most dangerous thing that can
happen is for a senior American official to deal with this region through the
mindset of a businessman looking for a "deal" rather than a statesman defending
his country's strategy, interests, and values.
When the U.S. Ambassador Becomes More Enthusiastic for Turkey Than for
Washington
The biggest problem with Barrack's positions is not that he holds personal
views; any official has the right to have views. The problem is that some of
these views, when expressed in his capacity as ambassador and special envoy of
the U.S. President, appear to contradict or confuse the policy he is supposed to
represent. It is difficult, for example, to ignore the impression Barrack leaves
through his frequent positions on Turkey and its President, Recep Tayyip Erdogan.
Erdogan is not merely an ordinary Turkish president. Erdogan's Turkey carries a
clear regional project, utilizing its political, military, economic, and
religious influence in an attempt to restore a dominant Turkish position in the
region. It is a state with close ties to political Islam movements, foremost
among them the Muslim Brotherhood and Hamas, and Ankara has massively expanded
its military and political presence in Syria.
In this context, any American official who deals with Erdogan as if he were
simply a natural regional partner—without factoring Ankara’s expansionist
project and Turkish political Islam into the core of his calculations—is
committing a major strategic error. More dangerously, this is happening at a
moment when the confrontation between Turkish and Israeli interests in Syria is
escalating. Barrack criticized recent Israeli strikes on the Syrian Abu al-Zohour
airbase while Israel was moving to prevent the expansion of a Turkish military
presence inside Syria. These developments clearly revealed that Turkish and
Israeli interests in Syria are not congruent, but are rather heading toward an
increasing strategic clash. Is the United States expected to act as a mediator
to protect Turkish ambitions in Syria? And must Israel now accommodate Erdogan's
military interests inside Syria so as not to upset the U.S. ambassador in
Ankara? These are legitimate questions, especially when such remarks come from
an official representing the United States rather than a private political
analyst.
Barrack and the Golan: How Can the Ambassador Say Something That Contradicts
Trump’s Decision? Barrack's most controversial statement came in his recent
interview with activist and media figure Mario Nawfal. Barrack said that Israel
"still occupies the Syrian Golan Heights," referring to United Nations
resolutions and the international order—phrasing that appeared to directly
ignore President Donald Trump's 2019 decision recognizing Israeli sovereignty
over the Golan. Here, we are not talking about a minor difference in wording,
but rather an official policy announced by the U.S. President himself. The next
day, Barrack was forced to backtrack and clarify, stating that his words were a
description of the historical situation rather than an endorsement of the UN
position, and affirming that the U.S. policy outlined by Trump in 2019 "has not
changed."
Yet the question remains: if Trump's policy has not changed, why did Barrack say
what he said in the first place? Diplomacy is not a talk show where an official
can float an idea in the morning and say by evening that it was merely a
"personal point of view." When the U.S. ambassador and special envoy to the
region speaks, his words are read as the voice of Washington, and any statement
that contradicts the U.S. president's policy causes confusion and undermines the
credibility of the United States and its allies. The Golan is not a marginal
detail; Trump's 2019 decision was a historic turning point in American policy
toward the Golan. Therefore, reopening the issue, even verbally, is not a mere
slip of the tongue.
Have Hezbollah and Iran Become Parties to Lebanese-Israeli Negotiations?
Then came an even more dangerous issue regarding Lebanon. In the same interview,
Barrack spoke about the absence of Iran and Hezbollah from the equation
concerning Lebanese-Israeli negotiations, remarks that were understood as a push
to introduce them into discussions about the future of the situation between
Lebanon and Israel. Following a wave of criticism, Barrack walked back his
statements to say that he was not proposing the creation of a new negotiating
table that includes Iran and Hezbollah, that Hezbollah's weapons are funded and
supplied by Iran, and that his remarks addressed the complications posed by
Iranian support to the file.
Once again, the simple question arises: why does the American envoy need to
backtrack and explain himself after every major statement? Does Barrack truly
not know that his country classifies Hezbollah as an international terrorist
organization, and that it is not an ordinary Lebanese party that can be treated
as a normal political actor in a diplomatic dispute? It is an armed militia
organically linked to Iran, and its leaders have for years declared their
allegiance to the Wilayat al-Faqih project and the Iranian Islamic Revolutionary
Guard Corps (IRGC). Consequently, any attempt to normalize the existence of
Hezbollah's weapons as merely a "Lebanese problem" or to treat Iran as a normal
party in rearranging Lebanon practically means ignoring the root of the problem:
Lebanon cannot build a fully sovereign state as long as an armed organization
tied to a foreign regional power retains the decision of war and peace.
From Iran to Turkey: Is One Tutelage Being Replaced by Another?
Here we reach the core of the dilemma. Iran has retreated in Lebanon and the
region, Hezbollah's influence has suffered massive blows, and regional balances
of power have begun to shift. However, Iran's exit or the retreat of its
influence does not mean that the vacuum should be filled by Turkey... This is
precisely the danger that Washington must realize. Lebanon is not a prize for
Iran, nor for Turkey, nor a zone of influence for any regional power. If
Washington truly wants to end Iranian influence in the Levant, it must not
simultaneously permit the emergence of alternative Turkish influence based on an
Erdoganist project rooted in Muslim Brotherhood origins and neo-Ottoman
ambitions and illusions. Replacing Iranian tutelage with Turkish tutelage is not
the liberation of the region; it is merely a change in the guardian's name.
Erdogan's Turkey is not a 16th-century Ottoman Empire returned to life, no
matter how hard Erdogan tries to invoke the symbols of the Ottoman Empire and
rebrand Turkey as a central power in the Islamic world. The Ottoman Empire has
ended, and with it a long history of wars, invasions, and tyranny that cannot be
recycled under new slogans. It is a historical and strategic error for
Washington to treat Turkish ambitions as mere good-neighborly policy.
Ahmed al-Sharaa: From al-Golani to the President of Syria
Then there is Ahmed al-Sharaa, formerly known as Abu Mohammad al-Golani, the
leader of Hayat Tahrir al-Sham. Washington is not expected to ignore the new
political reality in Syria, but dealing with the man and his new regime requires
the utmost caution—not an emotional or political rush, as is the case with
Barrack, who is entirely ignorant of the region's history and the sensitivities
of dealing with its complexities. History cannot be erased by changing a name;
changing a suit and a title does not wipe away the past. The question that any
American official must ask is: What is the nature of the new Syrian state? What
are the limits of its independence from Turkey? What is the future of
minorities? What is the position of political Islam within it? And will Syria
transition from a zone of Iranian influence to a zone of Turkish influence?
These questions are far more important than the handshakes, smiles, and press
conferences staged by Barrack—a dealmaker before being a statesman—which is why
his personality cannot be understood without examining his career.
Barrack wealth and fame
Barrack built his wealth and fame primarily in the world of investment, real
estate, and international deals. He founded Colony Capital, dealt in projects,
hotels, real estate, and distressed assets around the world, and maintained
extensive investment relations with Gulf parties, including the UAE and Qatar,
alongside his long-standing ties in Saudi Arabia. Press reports indicate that
Emirati funds invested hundreds of millions of dollars in his companies during
the first Trump administration years. His name was also linked to major deals
with Gulf investment institutions, including partnerships and deals with
Qatar—such as the Miramax deal—in addition to transactions with Emirati and
Saudi investors. And here we must be fair: when U.S. authorities accused him in
2021 of acting secretly as an unregistered agent for the UAE, he stood trial,
and a jury acquitted him in 2022 of all nine counts. Therefore, from an American
legal standpoint, he is not "convicted" nor an "Emirati agent." Yet the case
itself reveals the profound sensitivity of the overlap between the financial
world, Gulf relations, and American politics throughout his career. This
precisely raises a legitimate question regarding his suitability for a
diplomatic post of such sensitivity and peril.
The Middle East Is Not a Real Estate Deal
The problem with the dealmaking mentality represented by Barrack is that it
constantly seeks quick settlements, whereas the Middle East is not governed by
deals alone. There are centuries-old history, occupations and wars, minorities
and peoples, borders, ideologies, imperial projects, political Islam, terrorism,
and great power interests. They cannot be approached and managed with such
logic: "You get this, I get that, Turkey takes this, Iran takes that, Israel
makes a concession here, and Lebanon makes a concession there." This is not
strategic diplomacy; this is political brokerage, and the United States is not a
real estate investment firm.
Required: A Clear American Policy, Not Personal Interpretations
If Tom Barrack represents President Trump, he must represent Trump's policy. If
he holds personal views that differ from the president's policy, they have no
place in press conferences and interviews perceived as expressions of the United
States' position. President Trump recognized Israeli sovereignty over the Golan
in 2019, and this policy—according to Barrack himself after his recent
backtrack—remains in place. The United States has repeatedly stated that
Hezbollah's weapons constitute a fundamental obstacle to the establishment of a
sovereign Lebanese state. It is unacceptable for the Lebanese, Israelis,
Syrians, Turks, and Iranians to simultaneously hear contradictory stances from a
single American official, as U.S. foreign policy requires a single voice, not
multiple contradictory ones.
Barrack Is Unsuited for the Position He Holds
President Trump has the right to choose those he trusts, and Tom Barrack has the
right to hold his views. However, the American people, U.S. allies, and the
peoples of the Middle East have the right to ask: Is the right man to manage the
files of Turkey, Syria, Iraq, and Lebanon a businessman, investor, and real
estate player with broad personal ties to the president, or a strategic diplomat
possessing deep knowledge of the region's history and entanglements? In my
personal view, the answer is clear.
Barrack is an appropriate statesman to manage the Middle East's most dangerous
files
Tom Barrack may be a successful businessman, a skilled negotiator in the world
of deals, and a loyal friend to President Trump, but that does not automatically
make him the appropriate statesman to manage the Middle East's most dangerous
files. More dangerously, his recent positions have begun to suggest that he is
not content with merely representing American policy, but is sometimes putting
forward his own vision for the region—a vision that in some aspects appears
closer to Erdogan's Turkey than to the interests of U.S. allies, opening the
door to serious questions regarding the Turkish role and the future of Syria and
Lebanon. Therefore, what is required is not more justifications after
statements, nor more claims that "this is my personal opinion"; what is required
is a clear American position. If Barrack is unable to separate his personal
views from the official policy of the United States, and if his presence in this
position causes more confusion for Washington's allies than it serves them,
President Trump possesses a simple and clear solution: dismissing him and
replacing him with a professional diplomat who knows the region's history,
understands the danger of political Islam, realizes that Turkey is not the
legitimate heir to the Ottoman Empire, that Iran is not an alternative to the
Lebanese state, that Hezbollah is not a "Lebanese resistance," that Israel is
not merely a negotiating chip, and that the Middle East is not a distressed
property that can be saved by a deal.
Conclusion
It remains that the Middle East needs an American strategy, not a deal broker.
Lebanon specifically needs a sovereign state, not a replacement of Iranian
tutelage with Turkish tutelage. This is the truth that Tom Barrack must
understand before giving lessons on the region's history or charting its future
from behind interview screens.
Link to detalied Tom Barrack biography from Wikipedia
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tom_Barrack
Summary of Tom Barrack's biography (GPT)
He is:
A Lebanese-American businessman
A lawyer by education
A former Reagan administration official
A major real-estate investor
Founder of Colony Capital
Former chairman of Colony NorthStar
An investor with extensive Gulf relationships
A longtime friend of Donald Trump
Former chairman of Trump's inaugural committee
A person prosecuted in a major UAE foreign-agent case and acquitted of every
charge
And now a senior American diplomat dealing with some of the most complicated
political conflicts in the Middle East.
His supporters can legitimately point to his decades of experience in the
region, his Arabic-language skills, his relationships with Arab leaders, and his
ability to communicate directly with powerful people.
His critics can legitimately ask whether the same business relationships and
transactional style that made him successful as an investor are appropriate for
the conduct of American foreign policy.
That is the real issue.
The question is not whether Tom Barrack is a successful businessman. He clearly
is.
The question is whether the Middle East should be approached primarily through
the mentality of a businessman searching for deals, or through the disciplined
strategy of a professional diplomat who understands history, sovereignty,
national interests, and the long-term consequences of American decisions.
For Lebanon, Syria, Israel, Iraq, and Turkey, this is not an academic
question.
It is a question of national survival and regional stability.
On the Anniversary of Bashir’s Election as
President of the Republic
Elias Bejjani/August 23, 2026
https://eliasbejjaninews.com/2026/08/121512/
Today, as we proudly and resolutely commemorate the election of Sheikh Bashir
Gemayel as President of the Lebanese Republic on August 23, 1982, we reaffirm,
on the basis of a firm and steadfast faith, that Bashir’s dream is alive and
will not die. It remains powerfully embodied in the determination of Lebanon’s
sovereign and honorable youth, who have taken upon themselves the responsibility
of carrying the torch of freedom, dignity, liberation, sovereignty, and
independence through a peaceful and civilized approach that, God willing, will
culminate in saving the Cedar Nation from the claws of the Iranian occupation,
as well as from all Trojan horses, agents, traitors, and dhimmis, and in
restoring its independence and freedom.
On August 22, 1982, Bashir Gemayel was elected President of the Lebanese
Republic. President Reagan described him as “the young president who brought the
light of hope to Lebanon.” The president who was characterized as “a strategic
planner” and “a man whose positions crossed red lines” loved his country to such
an extent that Lebanese people of all backgrounds and affiliations dreamed of
and believed in his vision for the republic, in living with dignity and in
peace. He infused the people with courage, boldness, and strength of will to
demand and strive for the building of a “state of citizenship,” while preserving
Lebanon as a “space of freedom” and a homeland worthy of sacrifice.
On this day in 1982, Bashir’s love for his country ignited the spirit of
national belonging among all Lebanese and planted an eternal dream in the heart
of every free Lebanese, both in the homeland and across the corners of the
world. On the anniversary of Bashir’s election, every free and sovereign
Lebanese is reminded that Bashir—the cause, which is Lebanon’s cause—will never
die, for he whose supporter is God cannot be overcome.
It is true that the forces of evil and darkness succeeded in assassinating
Bashir the man, but they failed to kill Bashir the cause, who continues to live
in the hearts, conscience, and spirit of every free Lebanese. Bashir the cause,
Bashir the dream, Bashir of coexistence, Bashir of commitment to the state, the
law, the constitution, freedoms, democracy, and coexistence—this Bashir lives in
the minds and culture of every sovereign and free Lebanese. This Bashir will not
die.
Bashir, whose body was killed in 1982, remains alive through his memory and
through his example and model of patriotism and integrity, living in hearts,
conscience, culture, dreams, and hope. Meanwhile, the majority of today’s
leaders and politicians, though physically alive, are in practice and in terms
of respect and trust, dead in their faith, minds, greed, and Judas-like
betrayal. Their presence is an absence, and their absence is a relief and a
blessing.
Returning to the memory of the assassination on the Feast of the Holy Cross, on
September 13, 1982, the hand of hateful treachery reached out and killed Bashir
the man. Yet it failed to kill Bashir the cause, ambition, patriotism, vision,
thought, and the spirit of resistance.
Video Link and Transcript of an Interview with Tom Harb,
Director of the Middle East American Coalition
The Army Commander and the Military Council Are Complicit with Hezbollah… They
Must Be Dismissed and Prosecuted /Lebanon’s Liberation Today Is Being Advanced
by Israel Because the Interests of Both Countries Converge on Eliminating
Hezbollah and Ending the Iranian Occupation/Israeli Withdrawal Is Linked to
Lebanon Fulfilling Its Security and Military Obligations / Hezbollah Tunnels in
Mukhtara, Keserwan, Jbeil, and Across Lebanon
Interview Conducted by Journalist Walid Abboud on Sawt Kul Lubnan (Voice of All
Lebanon)
August 26, 2026
Note/Transcription, editing, summarization, headings, and English translation by
Elias Bejjani with complete editorial freedom.
https://eliasbejjaninews.com/2026/08/156995/
Introduction
This interview, conducted on the program “Al-Haki Youssal” (“The Message Gets
Through”) with Tom Harb, Director of the Middle East American Coalition, focused
on the political and military developments related to the situation in South
Lebanon and the ongoing negotiations between Lebanon and Israel under American
and international sponsorship. The discussion also addressed Hezbollah’s
weapons, the role of the Lebanese Army, the position of the U.S. administration,
the implications of Lebanese diplomatic efforts in Rome and Washington, the
future of Lebanese-Israeli relations, and assessments of several Lebanese and
regional political figures.
Summary
The interview centered on Tom Harb’s conviction that Lebanon’s political and
security future depends on resolving the Hezbollah weapons issue. He argued that
the international community, particularly the United States, will not provide
meaningful support to Lebanon before the implementation of fundamental security
and sovereignty reforms. The discussion also focused on criticism of the
Lebanese military establishment, calls for a more decisive international role in
South Lebanon, and the view that any Israeli withdrawal or comprehensive
political settlement must be linked to Lebanon’s fulfillment of its security and
military obligations.
Main Topics Discussed in the Interview
Rome and Washington Negotiations and the Future of South Lebanon
Tom Harb argued that the essence of the current negotiations revolves around
implementing previously reached understandings concerning Hezbollah’s
disarmament and the deployment of the Lebanese Army. He maintained that Israeli
withdrawal is contingent upon the Lebanese state first fulfilling its security
and military commitments.
The Hezbollah Weapons File
He emphasized that the international community and the United States now view
Hezbollah as primarily a Lebanese domestic problem rather than an Israeli one.
He called for dismantling the organization’s military and institutional
infrastructure throughout Lebanon, not only south of the Litani River.
Sharp Criticism of the Lebanese Army Leadership
Harb directed strong criticism toward the Army Command and the Military Council.
He accused the military leadership of failing to implement political decisions
related to Hezbollah’s weapons and spoke of a growing crisis of confidence
between certain American circles and the Lebanese Army leadership.
Relations Between the Presidency and the Army Leadership
He suggested that an increasing gap has emerged between President Joseph Aoun
and the Army Command. He predicted the possibility of changes within the
military institution as a result of international pressure and political
developments.
The United States and the Trump Administration
Harb asserted that President Donald Trump’s administration is seeking a
fundamental transformation of Lebanon’s situation. He argued that future
American and international assistance will be tied to concrete Lebanese measures
regarding Hezbollah’s weapons and security reforms.
International Forces and Chapter VII
He called for the deployment of an international force under Chapter VII of the
United Nations Charter if the Lebanese state proves unable to fulfill its
obligations. In his view, this could be the fastest path toward dismantling
Hezbollah’s military structure.
The Ali Al-Taher Hill and Tunnel Allegations
Harb discussed allegations concerning extensive military facilities and tunnel
networks beneath Ali Al-Taher Hill, Beaufort Castle (Qalaat Al-Shaqif), and
other locations. He stated that these issues were raised during meetings and
negotiations in Rome and called for official investigations and accountability
measures to determine the facts.
The Syrian Situation and the Turkish Role
He expressed concerns regarding Turkish activities in Syria and northern
Lebanon. He argued that American, Israeli, and Syrian understandings are aimed
at limiting Turkish expansion in the region.
The Iranian Ambassador in Lebanon
Harb strongly criticized the decision to allow the Iranian ambassador to remain
in Lebanon, arguing that the Lebanese state displayed weakness in handling the
matter.
Assessment of Lebanese Political Figures
Joseph Aoun: Harb stated that Aoun’s performance declined after a promising
start, although he believes the president has recently adopted a firmer position
following his visit to Washington.
Nawaf Salam: He described Salam as well-intentioned and genuinely trying to
serve Lebanon’s interests but facing obstacles from other state institutions.
Rodolphe Haykal:Harb suggested that Haykal’s replacement or resignation may be
necessary to bring about meaningful change within the military establishment.
Assessment of Regional Figures
Naim Qassem: Harb argued that Qassem’s political and popular influence is
limited compared to that of his predecessor, Hassan Nasrallah.
Benjamin Netanyahu: He described Netanyahu as having successfully managed
military confrontations on multiple fronts following the October 7 events. Harb
maintained that Israel’s national security doctrine will continue regardless of
election outcomes.
Mojtaba Khamenei: Harb stated that he possesses no confirmed information
regarding Mojtaba Khamenei’s current status or his actual role within the
Iranian regime.
Video link and transcript of an interview with the head of
the “Other Choice” movement, Alfred Madi,
The interview isaddressing the current
political situation in Lebanon with a focus on the meanings and lessons of the
anniversary of the election of Bashir Gemayel as president, alongside an
evaluation of the disappointing performance of Christian leaders and parties,
foremost among them Geagea and his party.
https://eliasbejjaninews.com/2026/08/157003/
The interview was conducted by journalist Antoine Saade from the “Voice of All
Lebanon” website / August 26, 2026.
Note: Transcription, drafting, summarization, headings, and English translation
by Elias Bejjani with absolute freedom.
Introduction
This television interview with Engineer Alfred Madi, head of the “Other Choice”
movement, featured a critical and historical reading of the political situation
in Lebanon, coinciding with the anniversary of the election of the martyred
President Bashir Gemayel. The dialogue reviewed Bashir’s experience and national
project, alongside an evaluation of the performance of contemporary Christian
leaders and parties, and the guest’s perspective on the most prominent
geopolitical and strategic challenges facing the country.
Summary of the Interview
Alfred Madi focused in his remarks on the necessity of reading history
consciously and avoiding the repetition of strategic mistakes, considering
Lebanon’s core problem to lie in the absence of true neutrality and the drift
behind compromises and formulas that obstruct the establishment of a just state.
He also criticized the excessive focus of political parties and forces on
governmental gains and presidential positions at the expense of the supreme
national interest and the existence and future of the Lebanese partnership.
Main Headings and Themes
The Project of Martyred President Bashir Gemayel: Commemorating his thought and
approach based on the concept of resistant existence, state-building, and the
establishment of a competent and reliable team, while projecting this onto the
current Lebanese reality.
Strategic Mistakes in Christian Political Action: Directing criticisms at the
performance of certain Christian leaders and political parties—specifically the
“Lebanese Forces” party and its leader, Samir Geagea—regarding certain political
positions and assessments.
The Crisis of Tutelages and External Interventions: Addressing the problematic
issue of the Lebanese people’s continuous search for external cover or tutelage,
and the role of the game of nations and regional balances in shaping the course
of Lebanon’s crises.
The Tragedy of Christian Existence and Declining Presence: Pointing to studies
related to the demographic and administrative reality of Christians in state
institutions and the impact of partisan and presidential tug-of-war on them.
Issa from Dar al-Fatwa: Why do you ask Israel to
withdraw, but not Hezbollah to disarm?
Naharnet/August 26, 2026
Israeli attacks on Lebanon have not stopped because Hezbollah has not
surrendered its weapons, American Ambassador Michel Issa said Wednesday as he
visited Dar al-Fatwa.
"Hezbollah does not want to do anything, so why do we ask Israel to do
everything? Why do you only ask Israel to withdraw, and you don't ask Hezbollah
to disarm?" he asked after he met Grand Mufti Sheikh Abdel Latif Derian. Issa
told reporters after the meeting that the U.S. will negotiate with Hezbollah "if
they have something to offer us", adding that negotiations are ongoing and pilot
zones are progressing, but "it will take time". "We are monitoring the
developments in Ali al-Tahir over the next two days," he said. "We care about
every community in Lebanon, and we want to know what each community wants".
Irael adjusts Hezbollah tactics as Italy’s role in Lebanon remains unclear: The
details
LBCI/August 26, 2026
Israel has yet to decide whether Italy will join the committee overseeing
implementation of its agreement with Lebanon, or whether Italian forces could
replace UNIFIL troops in Lebanon. Meanwhile, the
Israeli military has revised its approach to Hezbollah threats, amid
preparations for possible operations against the group and efforts to reduce
casualties among its troops.The changes come as Israel prepares for potential
operations around Ali al Taher Hill. The Israeli military has also stepped up
activity in Ali al Taher, Majdal Zoun, Marwahin and other areas near Nabatieh,
particularly at night, to avoid direct clashes with Hezbollah fighters. The
Israeli military leadership is also maintaining close coordination with
Washington. Chief of Staff Eyal Zamir held talks with U.S. Air Force Chief Gen.
Kenneth Wilsbach, alongside Israeli Air Force Chief Maj. Gen. Omer Tischler, to
assess developments across the fronts in Iran, Gaza, Syria and Lebanon and
discuss future cooperation. As Israel prepares for legislative elections and
possible developments across the region, it also criticized Lebanon’s decision
to grant Iranian Ambassador Mohammad Reza Shibani a regular six-month visa,
calling it a sign of what Israel described as President Joseph Aoun and Prime
Minister Nawaf Salam’s “surrender” and evidence of Lebanon’s deteriorating
situation.
Aoun reiterates that 'there is no option but negotiation'
Naharnet/August 26, 2026
President Joseph Aoun on Wednesday said Lebanon has “made the decision to
negotiate to avoid the devastation and tragedies caused by war.”“While
negotiations are not easy or quick, and there are obstacles and difficulties,
they remain far better than war,” Aoun stressed.
“We share th same goals: liberating the south, deploying the army to the border,
recovering captives, facilitating the return of displaced people, and rebuilding
the country. This cannot be achieved through war, as has become clear.
Therefore, there is no option but negotiation,” the president emphasized.
Reports: Aoun contacts US to find solution for Ali al-Taher
Naharnet/August 26, 2026
President Joseph Aoun has contacted the U.S. administration to find a solution
for the strategic Ali Taher hill, in order to prevent any escalation of the
situation, Qatar’s al-Araby al-Jadeed news portal reported. The president
“proposed the entry of the Lebanese Army into it after the withdrawal of
Hezbollah elements from it, informing Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri of this,
especially since there are Lebanese fears of Israel occupying the hill and
carrying out massive explosions in it, which would have repercussions on the
surrounding villages," the report said.
Israel limits residents' movement in 3 Christian towns in
south Lebanon
Naharnet/August 26, 2026
The Israeli army has imposed restrictions on the movement of residents of three
besieged Christian towns in southern Lebanon, designating a specific route for
travel to and from the rest of the country, limited to the southern border town
of Naqoura.
According to Asharq al-Awsat newspaper, travel is conducted in convoys that
depart daily, and residents are required to report their vehicles and the
details of anyone intending to travel to the area. The residents of the towns of
Rmeish, Debel and Ain Ebel, located in the Bint Jbeil district, remain trapped
in their villages, which are surrounded by Israeli forces occupying all the
surrounding towns, the report said. Relief and medical aid is delivered to them
via convoys traveling from within Lebanon, escorted by UNIFIL forces.
Local sources in the town of Rmeish told Asharq Al-Awsat that there are
regulatory procedures in place that require residents to travel to or from their
towns, specifically through convoys. No single vehicle is permitted to cross
without a pre-arranged convoy. At least one convoy, comprising several cars or
buses, departs daily from one of the three towns, heading either into the
Lebanese interior or towards the steadfast towns in the south.
Sources indicated that the Lebanese Army and UNIFIL are responsible for
organizing the convoys, which are now required to travel along the coastal road
south of Tyre towards Naqoura and then to the Christian towns in the Bint Jbeil
district. The Lebanese Army escorts the convoys to the Qleileh crossing point in
southern Lebanon (approximately 15 kilometers from the Israeli border), after
which UNIFIL vehicles escort them to their respective villages.
The sources stated that those wishing to cross into or leave their villages must
register their vehicles and provide UNIFIL with the passengers' information in
advance. UNIFIL then verifies their identities and inspects their vehicles to
coordinate with Israeli forces and secure their passage.
Asharq al-Awsat has learned that these movement restrictions prompted the
Vatican, through its ambassador in Lebanon, to intervene with the United States
to prevent Israel from imposing restrictions on the movement of residents of
Christian villages.
These measures are limited to Christian villages in the Bint Jbeil district, but
do not include those in the Marjeyoun district. Residents and visitors in the
latter area can move freely between the towns of Qlaiaa, Jdeidet Marjeyoun, Burj
al-Moulouk, and Deir Mimas, and into the Lebanese interior, traveling back and
forth via the Western Bekaa road (eastern Lebanon) towards Hasbaya and the Ibl
al-Saqi-Dibbine-Marjeyoun road, according to local sources in Qlaiaa who spoke
to Asharq al-Awsat. The sources added that residents of those towns visit them
normally, but are prohibited from hosting displaced people from the surrounding
villages and towns. Journalists visiting the area are also prohibited from
taking photographs of the neighboring town of Khiam.
Israeli army says prefers 'political course' that leads to
disarming Hezbollah
Naharnet/August 26, 2026
The battle against Hezbollah has not ended yet and the group suffered major
damage but is still present as an organization, an Israeli military source said.
“We hope not to be forced to work militarily in the heart of Lebanon and the
Lebanese state is the side responsible for addressing the file of Hezbollah’s
arms,” the source told Al-Arabiya’s Al-Hadath channel.
“We prefer a political course that leads to disarming Hezbollah,” the source
added, noting that Israel is “counting on U.S.-mediated negotiations to reach an
agreement regarding Hezbollah’s weapons.”
Pointing out that Israel’s goal is to “prevent Hezbollah from regaining its
ability to threaten north Israel’s towns,” the source said the Israeli army
“unveiled Hezbollah structures above and under the ground in Bint Jbeil and its
vicinity.”“Search operations for additional Hezbollah infrastructure are still
ongoing,” the source told Al-Hadath.
South Lebanon: Latest developments
Naharnet/August 26, 2026
The Israeli army targeted multiple towns across southern Lebanon overnight into
Wednesday, including Hadatha, al-Qantara, al-Mansouri, Ali al-Taher, and Kfar
Remman. Israeli forces were also burning, bulldozing and detonating lands and
houses in Bouyout al-Siyed, Majdalzoun, Serbine, Bani Hayan, al-Khiam and
Markaba. Civil defense units worked to extinguish a fire that erupted near Deir
Mimas along the Litani River. The blaze quickly spread towards al-Khardali and
Marjayoun.The National News Agency said an Israeli drone exploded over
al-Mansouri.
Israel burns forests and farmlands in south Lebanon
Agence France Presse/August 26, 2026
As extreme heat fuels wildfires worldwide this summer, Lebanese officials and
residents have accused Israel's military of systematically sparking blazes that
have burnt swathes of forest and farmland in the country's south. In the village
of Shaqra, Haidar Qoteish, 36, says he has watched fires devour fields and
orchards in his hometown of Houla, just five kilometers away but under Israeli
military control. "They've burnt everything. You can see the fields are all
black," the father of four told AFP by telephone. "Those whose land they didn't
burn, they've bulldozed," he said. "It's a great loss, and there's nothing we
can do."Lebanon's governmental National Council for Scientific Research (CNRS)
says Israeli military activity has caused 160 square kilometers of land, half of
it agricultural, to go up in flames since hostilities between Israel and
Hezbollah began in October 2023. An AFP photographer this month saw multiple
fires raging in south Lebanon, mostly inside Israel's self-declared "security
zone", which runs around 10 kilometers deep inside Lebanese territory along the
border.
'Scorched earth' policy
Despite a lull in hostilities since June and an Israel-Lebanon deal that month,
Israel still bombs the south and has been demolishing border villages. Lebanon's
Prime Minister Nawaf Salam has accused Israel of pursuing a "scorched-earth
policy" in the south. The Israeli army told AFP's Jerusalem bureau it "is aware
of the potential environmental impact of its operations", which it said are
"conducted while taking precautionary measures to mitigate harm to civilians and
the environment".Hussein Fakih, the head of the civil defense agency for the
Nabatieh region, said that since July his teams have observed fires both inside
and adjacent to areas where Israeli troops are stationed. He told AFP the blazes
had been sparked by Israeli "bombs and drones" and sometimes incendiary
phosphorous shells and cluster munitions. In Kfarshouba, which abuts Israel's
"security zone", mayor Qassem al-Qadri said an Israeli attack this month sparked
a fire that spread across a broad area of "mostly forest".He said residents
desperately tried to fight the blaze themselves while waiting for the Israeli
army to grant firefighters access to the area, in accordance with a ceasefire
monitoring mechanism. They only got the green light "the following day when the
fire had burnt everything", said the civil defense's Fakih. Kfarshouba residents
with property close to Israeli positions are afraid to take fire prevention
measures like clearing undergrowth, the mayor said.
"They talk about the 'security zone' but... we don't know where its (exact)
boundaries are," Qadri added."We feel like the whole area is under Israeli
control."
'Ecocide'
Environment Minister Tamara Elzein has condemned what she called "ecocide" in
the south, accusing Israel's army of "deliberately" burning swathes of Lebanese
land. CNRS director Chadi Abdallah told AFP "fires were limited to the border
strip" during the 2023-2024 hostilities, but have broadened since the conflict
reignited this year. He accused the Israeli army of "systematically burning
land" and of "trying to create a buffer zone devoid of homes, people and the
natural environment". "During the previous war, around 8,500 hectares (85 square
kilometers) of land was burnt," Abdallah said, while this year, "the Israelis
have burnt around 7,500 hectares", including 350 hectares after the June deal.
CNRS satellite imagery showed formerly green areas that have now disappeared due
to fires, as well as Israel's bulldozing and uprooting of vegetation.
Lebanon's state-run National News Agency this month said Israeli forces had
uprooted 600 olive trees in one southern village alone. Lebanese environmental
group Green Southerners says it has recorded widespread damage to forest, woods
and farmland since 2023. This month, it warned that "major nature reserves in
southern Lebanon have also been subjected to extensive and repeated
destruction". In Shaqra, Qoteish lamented the environmental losses. "Demolished
homes maybe can be rebuilt in a year, but trees don't grow back" so quickly, he
said.
UN committee urges Israel to stop rhetoric dehumanizing
Lebanese
Arab News/August 26, 2026
LONDON: A UN anti-racism committee on Wednesday expressed alarm over statements
by Israeli officials threatening to inflict on Lebanon “the same level of
destruction” as in Gaza, urging an end to rhetoric it said dehumanized the
Lebanese population.
The UN Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination, or CERD, said the
prohibition on racial discrimination could not be suspended during armed
conflict. It called on Israel and all parties to immediately halt attacks
targeting civilians or civilian objects, as well as indiscriminate attacks
affecting them. The committee cited comments by Israel’s defense minister
describing “the Shia inhabitants of 24 villages in southern Lebanon as enemies”
while justifying the complete destruction of their homes.It urged Israel to stop
language that dehumanized Lebanese people or legitimized collective punishment
and violence on the basis of national or ethnic origin, descent or
religion.Acting under its Early Warning and Urgent Action Procedure, CERD said
it was alarmed by the mounting civilian toll, mass displacement and extensive
destruction linked to Israeli military operations in Lebanon. These operations,
including airstrikes, shelling and the use of explosive weapons in densely
populated areas, have intensified since March 2, 2026.
More than 4,340 people have reportedly been killed and at least 12,300 injured,
according to Lebanon’s health ministry. The panel also raised concerns about
displacement following Israeli orders directing people to leave areas across
southern Lebanon, including territory between the Litani and Zahrani rivers.
It said more than 70 warnings issued in March affected at least 189 towns
and villages, covering about 14 percent of Lebanese territory and displacing
more than 1 million people in less than three weeks. Although some residents
later returned, more than 360,000 people remained displaced at the end of July,
including about 27,200 people staying in collective shelters, according to UN
figures. The committee said reports indicated that entire villages in southern
Lebanon had become uninhabitable. It cited the destruction of homes, schools,
healthcare facilities, water and electricity systems, places of worship and
agricultural land in strikes and demolitions. The panel urged Israel to rescind
blanket displacement and evacuation orders and avoid the forcible transfer of
people from southern Lebanon. It also called on Israel to refrain from actions
that could constitute war crimes, crimes against humanity or serious violations
of international humanitarian or anti-discrimination law.
In addition, CERD called on Israel to allow displaced people to return
safely, voluntarily and with dignity; ensure unimpeded humanitarian access; and
provide fair and adequate compensation for damage without discrimination. CERD
also expressed concern about rockets fired by Hezbollah into populated areas in
Israel, saying the attacks caused civilian casualties and damage to civilian
infrastructure. The committee also called on all states party to the anti-racism
convention to stop selling, transferring or diverting arms, ammunition and other
military equipment to any party when there was a clear risk the material could
be used to commit or facilitate violations of international law.
Lebanon awaits Security Council session on alternatives to UNIFIL as Aoun backs
negotiations
NAJIA HOUSSARI/Arab News/August 26, 2026
BEIRUT: Lebanese President Joseph Aoun said on Wednesday that Lebanon has chosen
negotiations with Israel to avoid the “horrors and tragedies” of war, despite
the difficulty and obstacles facing the process. “We have made the decision to
enter negotiations in order to avoid the horrors and tragedies caused by war,”
Aoun told visitors at Baabda Palace. “It is true that it is not easy or quick
and there are obstacles and difficulties, but it remains far better than war.”He
highlighted Lebanon’s commitment to the “objectives of the negotiations, namely
the liberation of the south, the deployment of the army up to the borders, the
recovery of prisoners, the return of residents and reconstruction. “These cannot
be achieved through war, so there is no choice but to negotiate,” he added.
Aoun’s remarks came amid continued uncertainty over the timing of the eighth
round of Lebanese-Israeli negotiations, due to be held in Rome in early
September.A Lebanese official closely following the process told Arab News that
significant obstacles remained. “Obstacles remain firmly in place, and president
Aoun blames both the Israelis and Hezbollah for the blockage,” the official
said. “Israel resists withdrawing from more buffer zones, while Hezbollah
refuses to hand its weapons over to the Lebanese army to break the deadlock
regarding the Ali Al-Taher Ridge.”The official added that Lebanon had received
no Israeli responses on other outstanding issues. Gen. Joseph Clearfield, head
of the Military Coordination Group for Lebanon (MCG4L), is overseeing work on
the verification mechanism, border demarcation and the prisoner-exchange file,
the source said. “Unless he (Clearfield) obtains guarantees of achieving
reliable results, the Lebanese and Israeli delegations will not sit at the
direct negotiation table under American auspices,” the official said, adding
that “such guarantees are not yet available.”
US Ambassador to Lebanon Michel Issa, speaking after meeting Grand Mufti Sheikh
Abdel Latif Derian, said Washington was “awaiting developments regarding the Ali
Al-Taher Ridge in the coming days.”Issa described the Rome talks as
technical-level discussions that “do not necessarily require a predetermined
timetable. “If anything emerges that demands our involvement or fine-tuning, we
will intervene and rectify,” he said. “When it comes to sovereignty matters, we
verify them beforehand and possess precise information, so we can coordinate
dates to prevent them from clashing.”Issa said experimental areas were
advancing, “but everything that is set down on paper takes time to be
implemented on the ground.”“Once the delineation of the experimental area is
completed, we can see how matters have been facilitated, and this will
accelerate work on the third and fourth experimental areas,” Issa said.
He added that Clearfield was coordinating between the Lebanese, Israeli and US
governments to monitor progress. “Israeli attacks have not ceased. The reason
behind these attacks is Hezbollah, which continually maintains that it will
retain its arms so long as Israel persists in its actions,” Issa said. “You
demand that Israel pull out of southern Lebanon while Hezbollah refuses to
commit to surrendering its weapons to the Lebanese army, and the party is
unwilling to take any step. So, how can you possibly ask Israel to withdraw from
Lebanon?”On the question of negotiating with Hezbollah, Issa said: “We have
never said we would not negotiate with the party. This is possible if the party
is ready to negotiate or has anything to offer. However, if negotiations consist
of ‘visits and coffee,’ things are not going well.”
Escalation on the ground
On Wednesday, Israeli forces intensified destruction in border villages and
towns, planting large quantities of explosives to booby-trap neighborhoods and
destroy infrastructure, as well as historical and religious sites, according to
Lebanese reports.
Heavy shelling continued on the Ali Al-Taher Ridge, which Israel says contains
Hezbollah military facilities. Israel airstrikes targeted Al-Mansouri, Wadi
Saluki, the area between Wadi Saluki and the town of Shaqra, Sarbine and
Markaba, as well as Khiam, Dawhet Kfar Roummane, the areas between Qantara and
Deir Seryan, Nabatieh Al-Fawqa, and the vicinity of Taybeh and Deir Seryan,
around the north and south of the Litani River. US-backed talks have so far
failed to secure the handover of the Ali Al-Taher Ridge to the Lebanese army, as
Hezbollah publicly refuses to surrender its weapons north of the Litani.
Security Council session and UNIFIL future
Lebanon is awaiting the Security Council’s session on Friday to discuss
arrangements for the next phase in southern Lebanon and the future role of
international forces, as the deadline to the end of the UNIFIL mandate
approaches. The Lebanese official said “so far, no plan B” had been devised for
the continued presence of foreign forces under a framework different from
UNIFIL.“Such a plan has yet to take shape as it lacks a framework to protect
these forces, whose governments would have to agree to their deployment in
Lebanon,” the source said. “The participation of any foreign forces requires
assurances from Israel that they will not be targeted.”The source warned that
the absence of an alternative to UNIFIL in southern Lebanon, which prevents a
security vacuum, would place Lebanon in direct confrontation with the Israeli
army.
“UNIFIL’s withdrawal from the south will leave the country without international
protection against Israeli attacks and without the capacity to monitor and
document them.” Lebanon is racing against time to find an alternative, as UNIFIL
will stop carrying out oversight or monitoring tasks by the end of the year. Its
sole mission will then become withdrawing its forces from the area of deployment
south of the Litani River until the end of 2027, the source added.“It is early
to discuss a list of countries that support participating in a new force in the
south, as long as the legal and political framework of the mission has not yet
been finalized,” the official added.
What Outcomes Will Hezbollah MP’s Visit to Tehran Have on
Lebanon?
Beirut: Caroline Akoum/Asharq Al Awsat/August 26/2026
The importance of Lebanese lawmaker Hassan Fadlallah’s latest visit to Tehran
lies not in the trip itself. Hezbollah’s alliance with Iran is public and well
established. What stands out is its timing and the way it was announced. Iran’s
Foreign Ministry disclosed the visit as the Lebanese state seeks to chart a
political course free from regional rivalries and assert that decisions
concerning Lebanon must run through state institutions.Iran’s Foreign Ministry
said two days ago that Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi received Fadlallah, a
member of Hezbollah’s parliamentary bloc, in Tehran. Hezbollah’s representative
in Iran, Abdallah Safieddine, attended the meeting. The ministry said the talks
covered the latest developments in Lebanon and Israeli attacks. Araghchi
reaffirmed Iran’s support for Lebanon and its “defense of its territorial
integrity, dignity and national sovereignty.”Fadlallah praised Iran’s position
and what he called its strong diplomacy, urging a unified Islamic stand against
Israel.
Outcomes of the visit
Ministerial sources said Hezbollah’s relationship with Iran “requires no
interpretation. It is an alliance both sides openly take pride in.” “At a time
when Lebanese officials are working to separate the two tracks, this visit again
raises questions about whether the party respects the role of the state and the
positions of its officials,” they said. The sources told Asharq Al-Awsat: “This
is certainly not the first time a Hezbollah official has visited Tehran, nor
will it be the last. But it may be the first time such a visit has been
announced in this way — through an official statement from the Iranian Foreign
Ministry.”“That gives the meeting an official character that goes beyond
receiving a Lebanese lawmaker. It appears almost as a meeting between officials
of two states.”Still, the sources said the key question was what the visit would
produce: whether it would ease the process now underway or make it even more
difficult, particularly because Fadlallah is responsible for negotiations with
the Lebanese presidency.“Will Hezbollah cooperate with the state in the process
it is managing, particularly over negotiations with Israel? Or will it continue
rejecting decisions made by state institutions and escalate further?” they
asked.The question is even more pressing as Iranian-American negotiations falter
and threaten repercussions in Lebanon, they warned.
Communications cut
The sources said communications between President Joseph Aoun and Hezbollah had
been cut, with no recent contact. The only remaining channel is with Parliament
Speaker Nabih Berri, Hezbollah’s key ally. The visit came days after the United
States imposed new sanctions on Hezbollah, targeting 10 individuals and a
network Washington accused of moving funds between Iran’s Revolutionary Guards’
Quds Force and the Lebanese group. Hezbollah responded by declaring its pride in
its relationship with Iran and reaffirming its commitment to the “path of
resistance.”El Hage: They challenge the state every day
Lebanese Forces parliamentary bloc member Razi El Hage said there was “nothing
unusual” about Fadlallah’s visit to Tehran. Hezbollah has never let a day pass
without treating Iran as the foundation of the equation. The group opposed the
state and sought to place Lebanon within the framework of Iranian-American
negotiations, he told Asharq Al-Awsat. “This is not a new challenge to the
state. They challenge it every day through their positions and their insistence
on keeping Lebanese decision-making tied to foreign powers,” El Hage said.
“They must understand that the clock will not be turned back. The state has
embarked on a course from which there can be no retreat.”“They are making the
decision to slaughter Lebanon,” El Hage added. “Our position will remain firm.
We will not retreat from our demand that the state alone hold decision-making
authority and continue along the path it has begun.”El Hage also called on the
government to enforce its decisions more firmly, saying the state must prove it
can assert its authority and protect Lebanon from attempts to keep it an arena
for other countries’ conflicts.
Lebanese decisions first
Fadlallah’s visit came as President Joseph Aoun and Prime Minister Nawaf Salam
have taken clear positions on keeping Lebanon out of other countries’ conflicts.
Aoun previously said Iran was “using Lebanon as a bargaining chip” in its
negotiations with the United States. He said he was working to implement a
policy of distancing Lebanon from regional conflicts and insisted that decisions
affecting the country’s sovereignty and security must rest exclusively with the
Lebanese state. Salam previously said: “Once again,
the South and its people are paying the price for a decision they did not take.
If I may address Iran directly: have mercy on our south and stop treating it as
a bargaining chip in your negotiations.” “Lebanon is not a mailbox for others’
messages, nor a battlefield for their wars,” he stated.
Lebanon's electricity authority starts cutting power over
$258 million in unpaid bills
LBCI/August 26, 2026
Lebanon's state-owned electricity provider has begun cutting power to public
institutions, municipalities and government hospitals over years of unpaid bills
totaling about $258 million. Electricité du Liban (EDL) and the Qadisha
Electricity Company notified entities with outstanding debts on August 14 that
they had five days to settle their accounts or face disconnection.The deadline
has now expired, and electricity cuts have begun against institutions that
failed to pay or contact EDL to request additional time or agree on a repayment
plan. Among the institutions that have paid all or part of their outstanding
bills are the presidency, Parliament, the Prime Minister's Office, the Beirut
and Mount Lebanon Water Establishment, Banque du Liban (BDL), the Lebanese
University, the National Social Security Fund (NSSF), the Lebanese army and the
Internal Security Forces (ISF).
Some institutions settled their bills in full, while others made partial
payments.
However, only around $26 million, or roughly 10% of the $258 million in
outstanding bills, has been collected so far, leaving about 90% of the total
unpaid. Institutions that paid part of their debts were given an additional 10
days by EDL to settle the remaining amounts. Otherwise, they too face power
cuts. For institutions that have made no payments, the utility has begun
enforcing disconnections. The collection effort comes as EDL seeks additional
funds to purchase fuel and keep its power plants operating. Recovering years of
unpaid bills could provide the utility with much-needed cash for fuel purchases
and electricity generation. The issue has also taken on greater importance amid
rising fuel costs linked to disruptions around the Strait of Hormuz. Lebanon's
electricity tariff remains fixed at 10 cents per kilowatt-hour for the first 100
kilowatt-hours and 27 cents for consumption above that level, despite higher
fuel costs.
EDL argues that every dollar collected can help finance fuel purchases, increase
generation and potentially provide additional hours of electricity. The campaign
marks an unusual reversal for Lebanon, where state institutions have
traditionally urged citizens to pay their electricity bills. The state-run
utility is now demanding that the government itself settle its outstanding
accounts. The payments made by several major
institutions could also serve as a test of whether other public entities can
follow suit and settle their debts, potentially providing EDL with additional
resources to improve power supply.
Lebanon Pays, Amal and Hezbollah Take Credit: Inside Zawtar
al-Gharbiyeh's Temporary Shelters
Claudia Groeling & Ralph Atrach/This Is Beirut/August 26/2026
In the Zawtar al-Gharbiyeh pilot zone, Lebanese government funding is being used
to build temporary shelters for displaced residents. But these prefabricated
homes are being delivered through the Council of the South, an institution
effectively controlled by Speaker Nabih Berri’s Amal Movement and
Hezbollah.Ostensibly a state institution, the Council has long operated with no
meaningful government oversight, allowing funds and aid to be distributed
unchecked. Under its founding law, the Council has financial and administrative
independence, and its activities are not subject to the Public Accounting Law or
the prior oversight of the Court of Audit.
In December 2025, Lebanon’s Parliament approved roughly $90 million for the
Council of the South, bringing total state allocations to the Council to
approximately $132 million for reconstruction projects in southern Lebanon.
The Council’s role in Zawtar al-Gharbiyeh raises questions about whether
residents see its assistance as a state service or as support delivered through
a politically affiliated institution. On August 21, This is Beirut traveled to
Zawtar al-Gharbiyeh to inspect the temporary homes and gauge perceptions of the
Council. Zawtar al-Gharbiyeh was the first municipality transferred from Israeli
to Lebanese military control on July 20 under the Trilateral Framework. As part
of the pilot zone program, the town has become a proving ground for the Lebanese
state’s ability to reclaim its sovereignty.
Captured Institution
Residents of Zawtar al-Gharbiyeh told This is Beirut that they largely associate
the Council with Berri and the Amal Movement. “I believe the Council of the
South was the clearest and most blatant example when it came to corruption and
favoritism,” one resident said.
“When it comes to the Council of the South, the narrative becomes that it is not
the state providing assistance but rather the Amal Movement providing
assistance, or Hezbollah providing assistance, when the money is actually coming
from the state,” he told This is Beirut.
“It got to the point where people in the villages and across the South started
saying, ‘This isn’t the Council of the South; it’s the Council of Pockets
[corruption],’” the resident said.
The Council was not always viewed this way. Established in 1970 to fund state
projects in southern Lebanon and compensate residents affected by conflict, the
Council was placed under the authority of the prime minister. In its early
years, the Council was not affiliated with the Amal Movement. Its chairmanship
passed among ministers and figures from different political and sectarian
backgrounds, including Maurice Gemayel, a Kataeb Party politician. In 1984,
Berri joined Lebanon’s cabinet as minister of state for South Lebanon and
Reconstruction, giving the increasingly powerful militia leader influence over
the Council. In the ensuing decades, the institution became closely associated
with the Amal Movement and its ally, Hezbollah, with critics arguing that it
helped fuel the patronage networks of the two dominant Shiite political parties.
State Services, Political Credit
The distinction between the Council’s formal status as a state institution and
its public perception is crucial, according to political analyst Daoud Rammal.
On paper, he said, the homes, compensation, and development projects provided by
the Council are rights delivered by the Lebanese state.
As the institution has become politically associated with Berri, residents might
view its assistance not as a public entitlement but as a political service,
Rammal added. “This is the core of the problem: transforming a citizen’s right,
acquired from the state, into a service attributed to a political leader or
party.”The distinction becomes particularly significant when public money is
used to provide highly visible assistance, such as housing for families whose
homes have been destroyed in Zawtar al-Gharbiyeh. Lebanese academic Mona Fayad
questioned how the assistance is presented to residents, arguing that
beneficiaries may ultimately see the homes as coming from Berri, the Amal
Movement, and Hezbollah rather than the state. She also questioned how the
prefabricated homes would be allocated and whether political affiliations could
influence who receives them. “The Council of the South is distributing the
homes. Who is receiving them?”
Who Benefits?
Hezbollah and the Amal Movement benefit from the political and social influence
generated by state-funded services when those services are perceived as part of
the two parties’ patronage networks, Rammal said.
“A citizen who receives a home, compensation, or development project may view it
as a service provided by the movement or political leader, rather than as a
right they are entitled to as a citizen,” he explained. For this reason, Rammal
said, state services should not be delivered through a political intermediary.
State assistance, he said, should begin with publicly disclosing funding amounts
and how they are spent, as well as establishing clear and uniform criteria for
identifying those affected and eligible for assistance. Contracts, tenders,
projects, and the entities implementing them should also be made public.
“Spending should also be subject to independent auditing and effective field
monitoring,” Rammal said. Fayad also called for greater transparency,
recommending that reconstruction assistance be administered directly by the
state or through independent committees.
In Zawtar al-Gharbiyeh, the prefabricated homes have thus become part of a
broader test of whether the state can deliver assistance and receive credit for
doing so. Restoring government control means more than deploying the Lebanese
Armed Forces.
Reclaiming sovereignty also requires bringing financial, development, and
service-delivery channels back under state authority and freeing state
institutions from the political influence of Hezbollah and the Amal Movement.
Treasury Says Iran Controls Hezbollah. Lebanon Is Still
Responsible.
David Daoud/FDD-Policy Brief/August 26/2026
Washington has potentially raised the cost of doing business with Hezbollah by
formally tying the group to Iran under U.S. sanctions law. On Thursday, August
20, the Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC)
redesignated Hezbollah under Executive Order 13224 for being “owned, controlled,
or directed by, or” acting for Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps-Quds
Force (IRGC-QF), the guard’s foreign-operations arm. Treasury cited Quds Force
coordination of Hezbollah attacks and “deep involvement” in its political
decision making. It also sanctioned 10 people it says moved funds for Hezbollah
and the IRGC-QF.
Hezbollah already faced U.S. terrorism sanctions. The redesignation adds
Iran-specific sanctions exposure for third parties dealing significantly with
the group. Foreign banks knowingly facilitating significant Hezbollah
transactions can face restrictions on U.S. accounts and lose access to dollar
clearing; other foreign parties can face additional sanctions.
Beirut Remains Responsible
The Treasury Department’s action addresses who directs Hezbollah, but not
Lebanon’s obligations to restrain it or govern armed power on its territory. UN
Security Council Resolution 1701, adopted after the 2006 Israel-Hezbollah war,
calls for Beirut to disarm all armed groups and ensure “no weapons or authority
in Lebanon other than that of the Lebanese State.” The June 26
U.S.-Israel-Lebanon Trilateral Framework restated those obligations more
explicitly: Beirut committed to the “complete and verified disarmament” of all
non-state armed groups, eliminating their military capabilities nationwide, and
exclusive government authority over war and peace. Lebanon also committed to
preventing funds from reaching non-state armed groups or affiliates and using
available legal measures against them.
Hezbollah Is 100 Percent Iranian and 100 Percent Lebanese
Lebanon’s responsibility stems from Hezbollah operating on its soil and being as
much a Lebanese as an Iranian phenomenon. Hezbollah’s leaders and fighters are
Lebanese. The group has fully participated in Lebanese politics since entering
parliament in 1992 and government in 2005. It has also built extensive
social-service and patronage networks serving its Lebanese Shiite base, which
reciprocates with votes and popular support.
Hezbollah is woven into Lebanon’s political and social fabric because it grew
from Lebanese Shiite political and social currents. In 1974, Shiite cleric Musa
al-Sadr founded the Movement of the Disinherited to mobilize Lebanon’s
long-marginalized Shiites.
During the 1960s and 1970s, Lebanese Shiite clerics studying in Najaf, Iraq’s
leading Shiite seminary center, encountered Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini and his
doctrine of clerical rule. Forced back to Lebanon by Iraqi repression in the
late 1970s, some preached those ideas at home. By the early 1980s, these
Lebanese Shiite, Islamist clerical, and militant currents were coalescing into a
proto-Hezbollah amid the civil war.
Exploiting Israel’s 1982 invasion of Lebanon, Iran then helped fashion these
currents into Hezbollah. IRGC personnel deployed to the Bekaa Valley to train
and arm Hezbollah’s founding cadres, and Tehran became its principal source of
money, weapons, training, and strategic support. Hezbollah’s 1985 Open Letter
pledged obedience to the wali al-faqih —the ruling Islamic jurist, Khomeini —
and his successors. Hezbollah’s former Secretary-General Hassan Nasrallah, later
called that pledge an immutable doctrinal and religious allegiance, while Naim
Qassem has called the Open Letter a “permanent and continuous document.” Iran
and Hezbollah’s ideological bond remains operational. IRGC officers are rearming
and rebuilding Hezbollah since its losses in the 2023-2024 war with Israel,
developing joint missile plans, and directly supervising its fighters.
Continue Pressing Lebanon
The redesignation provides a basis for additional sanctions and gives Washington
another financial lever to enforce Lebanon’s framework commitments. Treasury
should warn Lebanese banks and businesses that significant Hezbollah dealings
carry Iran-related penalties by sanctioning institutions that cooperate with the
group. Treasury says the network designated on Thursday used couriers on
commercial flights to move cash outside the formal financial system into
Hezbollah’s Lebanese base — the very financing Lebanon committed to stop.
That pressure should reinforce U.S. conditions on new assistance to the Lebanese
state, codified in the June Framework Agreement. That agreement requires Lebanon
meet “verifiable milestones” for dismantling Hezbollah’s military
infrastructure, preventing its financing and rearmament, and establish Beirut’s
monopoly on force.
*David Daoud is a senior fellow at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies
(FDD), where he focuses on Israel, Hezbollah, and Lebanon affairs. For more
analysis from David and FDD, please subscribe HERE. Follow David on X
@DavidADaoud. Follow FDD on X @FDD. FDD is a Washington, DC-based, nonpartisan
research institute focusing on national security and foreign policy.
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Miscellaneous Reports And News published
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Trump says he believes that Iranian leader Khamenei still alive
AFP/August 26, 2026
WASHINGTON: US President Donald Trump on Wednesday said he believes Iran’s
supreme leader, who has not been seen in public since taking over after his
father’s killing in February, remains alive. “I don’t think he’s dead. He was
very seriously wounded. The left side of his body, the arm, the leg, the whole
thing. He was very seriously wounded. But I don’t think he’s dead,” Trump said
in an interview with conservative radio host Glenn Beck. Officially, Khamenei
continues to lead his country under US and Israeli attack. However, his public
absence and the rise to power of veteran Revolutionary Guards figures has fueled
speculation that he is either dead or not fully in command. His father was
killed in bombing at the start of the US-Israeli assault.Trump — who has already
declared victory over Iran on multiple occasions but remains unable to force the
opening of the Hormuz sea route or force Iran to surrender its nuclear materials
— said again that military and economic pressure was working. “Those things are
going toward a very big victory,” he said. “We’re going to have a big victory
here very soon.”Trump also insisted that the Strait of Hormuz, where Iran’s
military has disrupted and to a large extent blocked shipping, is in fact fully
open.“You could really say, you know, because the Strait is open. We take a lot
of ships through the Strait now. We’re taking them in. The mines are gone,” he
said. “We cannot let Iran have a nuclear weapon.
That’s what it’s all about. That’s 99.9 percent. We cannot let them because they
are crazy and they will use it,” he said, before adding that he had already
“stopped it twice.”
Iran ‘plotted to assassinate’ Israel Prime Minister Bejamin Netanyahu’s son Yair
in Florida
Arab News/August 26, 2026
JERUSALEM: Iranian agents had Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s son,
Yair, under surveillance in Florida as part of a plot to assassinate him,
according to a US media report. Israeli intelligence
was said to have discovered the plot in December 2025, and believed Iranian
operatives were “on the ground” in the Miami area carrying out surveillance on
the 35-year-old and monitoring his movements, Newsmax said, citing information
provided by a US law enforcement source. Yair Netanyahu, who had spent much of
the past several years living in Florida, was instructed to leave the US and
return to Israel immediately, according to the Newsmax report. He reportedly
left without packing his belongings and has remained in Israel since.
The details emerged after Netanyahu said during an interview with Israeli
broadcaster Channel 14 on Monday that Iran had attempted to assassinate one of
his two sons.
“Iran targeted one of my sons. Iran tried to kill, to murder one of my sons,”
Netanyahu said, without identifying which of his children was the target or
providing any details about when or where the attempt occurred. Israeli media
subsequently reported that security agencies had known about the plot for
several months but news outlets were barred from reporting on it by military
censors. Netanyahu disclosed it while he defended the
security protections provided to his family, arguing that the alleged Iranian
threat demonstrated such precautions were necessary.
Yair, Netanyahu’s elder and more publicly prominent son, reportedly spent
extended spells living in the Miami area in recent years. His state-funded
security arrangements while residing abroad previously drew criticism in Israel.
The reported plot comes amid heightened tensions between Israel and Iran amid
the US-Israeli war against Tehran that began in late February and claimed the
life of Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei and other senior Iranian officials.
Netanyahu says no diplomatic deal possible with Iran
'savages'
Agence France Presse/August 26, 2026
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said a diplomatic deal was not
possible with the "savages" who rule Iran as he hailed U.S. President Donald
Trump's new campaign of economic pressure. Recounting a recent meeting with
Trump, Netanyahu told an event late Tuesday that they had discussed the
possibility of diplomacy with Iran and said: "I doubt, however, that an
agreement can be reached with that group there, with those savages. I tell you
-- an agreement cannot be reached."
Israel launches deadly strike on Gaza tent
Associated Press/August 26, 2026
An Israeli strike on a tent for displaced people Wednesday in southern Gaza
killed one person and wounded at least four others, according to officials at
the territory’s Health Ministry. The Israeli military said it struck a “military
operative,” without elaborating. Even as U.S. efforts to advance the fragile
ceasefire in the nearly three-year Israel-Hamas war continue, Palestinians in
the strip have reported a surge in deadly Israeli strikes. Israel has said it
targets Hamas and other militants who pose a threat, as well as those who
participated in the Oct. 7, 2023, attack that triggered the war. About 1,200
people, mostly civilians, were killed that day in Israel and 251 abducted by
militants. Israel's retaliatory military campaign in the enclave killed more
than 73,400 people, according to the Gaza Health Ministry. The health ministry,
part of the Hamas-controlled government, is staffed by medical professionals and
maintains detailed records viewed as generally reliable by United Nations
agencies and independent experts.
'Point of no return' if Israel-Hamas truce fails: US envoy to Gaza board
LBCI/Reuters/August 26, 2026
The high representative for Gaza in U.S. President Donald Trump's Board of Peace
warned Wednesday of a "point of no return" if the Israel-Hamas ceasefire breaks
down. A resumption of fighting in Gaza would mean "no roadmap to return to,
there will be no administration to deploy, and there will be nothing left on the
ground to rebuild. That would not be a setback. It would be a point of no return
for everyone," Nickolay Mladenov told the United Nations Security Council.
No answers a year after Israeli soldiers kill 22
Palestinians, including journalists and rescuers
Associated Press/August 26, 2026
Tuesday marked one year since Israeli soldiers killed 22 Palestinians, including
journalists and rescue workers, in a double strike on a hospital in Gaza that
provoked global outrage. No one has been held accountable. Israeli officials
said the target was a suspected Hamas camera on the roof of Nasser Hospital.
Among those killed were Reuters cameraman Hussam al-Masri and Mariam Dagga, a
visual journalist who worked for The Associated Press and other news
organizations. Despite repeated requests by the AP,
the army has not provided details about the investigation or a timeline for when
it could be completed. Rights groups say Israel rarely holds troops accountable
for killing Palestinians, pointing to long investigations that rarely lead to
prosecution.
Iran president says 'US will achieve nothing' with economic
pressure
Agence France Presse/August 26, 2026
Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian on Wednesday said that the "United States
will achieve nothing" with its new round of economic sanctions, local media
reported. "Given the measures the government has
undertaken, America will not achieve anything with economic pressure at this
stage, just as it was unable to achieve anything in the war," Pezeshkian said,
according to ISNA news agency.
Iran urges Qatar to clarify fate of missing Iranian pilots, state media says
Reuters/August 26, 2026
DUBAI: Iran said Qatar has told Tehran it is unaware of the fate of Iranian
pilots missing since their aircraft were shot down after entering Qatari
airspace, and urged Doha to step up efforts to determine their status,
according to state media.Tehran said it had followed up through diplomatic and
military channels but had yet to receive a clear response from Qatar on the
pilots’ fate.
Qatar’s PM to visit Tehran Thursday
Reuters/August 26, 2026
Qatar’s Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani will visit
Tehran on Thursday and meet with Iranian officials to discuss ways to
de-escalate tensions and create conditions for dialogue, Qatari Foreign Ministry
spokesperson Majed Al Ansari said on Wednesday.
The talks will also address freedom of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz and
the need to restore it to the situation before February 28, Al Ansari said in a
post on X.
Iran and Oman hold talks on managing Strait of Hormuz
Associated Press/August 26, 2026
The top diplomats of Iran and Oman met on Tuesday to discuss a phased approach
to managing ship traffic through the Strait of Hormuz, which remains largely
shut down nearly six months after the Iran war began. The talks came after an
oil tanker was disabled in an attack off the coast of Oman, underscoring the
ongoing dangers for shipping companies attempting to use the waterway while it's
under Iranian control. Omani Foreign Minister Badr al-Busaidi met with his
Iranian counterpart, Abbas Araghchi, in Tehran, Iran's capital, to discuss a
framework for managing ship traffic in the Strait of Hormuz. A joint statement
by the two countries, located on opposite sides of the narrow strait, said the
proposed framework includes a “joint temporary navigational corridor” and both
countries working to clear mines from the waterway. The statement said Iran and
Oman will continue technical negotiations toward establishing a permanent
shipping corridor and an agreement on the future administration of the strait.
Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Kazem Gharibabadi told state TV that the two
countries had reached an understanding on a temporary route. Traffic into the
Persian Gulf from the Gulf of Oman would pass entirely through Iranian waters,
while the outbound route would pass partly through Iranian waters and partly
through Oman’s territorial waters. Iran and Oman would then hold negotiations
over 30 to 60 days to “reach an understanding on a new permanent and sustainable
route,” he said. About a fifth of the world’s traded oil passed through the
strait before the United States and Israel attacked Iran on Feb. 28. It’s
unknown whether the U.S. will accept the emerging deal. U.S. President Donald
Trump last week threatened to bomb Oman if it “gets in the way” of American
efforts to reopen the strait. Iran’s president and other senior officials also
discussed the strait with a delegation from Pakistan that left Tehran on Tuesday
following talks on reviving negotiations to end the Iran-U.S. conflict, the
Pakistani military said.
Iran Guards say agreed with Oman to share revenues from Hormuz
Agence France Presse/August 26, 2026
Iran's Revolutionary Guards said on Wednesday they had agreed with Oman to share
any revenues earned from transit fees in the Strait of Hormuz. "During
negotiations with Oman, some agreements were made regarding the share of each
country in the waters of the Strait and the share of Iran and Oman in its
revenues," said Guards spokesman Hossein Mohebi, adding that the US was
"obstructing work" to finalize a deal.
Germany draws down its mission in Iraq's Kurdish region
Associated Press/August 26, 2026
Germany has ended the military mission of its advisers in Iraq’s semiautonomous
northern Kurdish region after years of supporting the U.S.-led coalition’s
efforts against Islamic State militants, the Kurdish region’s Ministry of
Peshmerga Affairs said Wednesday. The ministry said it held an official ceremony
at Camp Stephan at Irbil International Airport to mark the mission’s end.
Germany had already reduced its footprint in Iraq but had maintained a small
contingent at the base.The end of the German mission comes as U.S. forces have
also begun withdrawing from northern Iraq ahead of a Sept. 30 deadline to end
their military presence in the country.U.S. bases in the Kurdish region have
regularly come under attack since the U.S. and Israel launched the Iran war on
Feb. 28.
Syria president, Putin discuss deepening ties in call
Associated Press/August 26, 2026
Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa and his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin on
Wednesday discussed strengthening ties, the Syrian presidency said, their first
call since reaching an agreement over Moscow's military bases in the country.
The Syrian presidency said the two leaders discussed "bilateral relations and
regional developments", as well as "strengthening cooperation in areas of shared
interest". "The two sides emphasized the importance of continuing coordination
and consultation, and strengthening communication between the two countries, in
a way that serves shared interests and supports security and stability in Syria
and the region," the statement added.The Kremlin said in a statement that both
leaders "noted the importance of the memorandum of understanding signed on
August 9 on the reorganization of the Hmeimim air base and the Tartus logistics
support facility".Russia was a key ally of former Syrian ruler Bashar al-Assad
during the country's 13-year civil war, intervening militarily to keep him in
power and strengthening its presence in the Hmeimim air base and Tartus naval
base on Syria's Mediterranean coast.Assad's ousting in late 2024 dealt a major
blow to Moscow's influence in the region.Putin has since worked to build
relations with the new Islamist authorities in Damascus to secure the future of
the bases, the only official ones Russia has outside the former Soviet Union.
Earlier this month, Syria said it reached an agreement with Moscow on the
fate of the bases in Hmeimim and Tartus. The Syrian foreign ministry said at the
time that the bases would be turned into "joint training and capacity-building
centers, within new arrangements that preserve mutual interests". The ministry
said the memorandum of understanding "set a time limit of no more than three
months to complete the process". Syria also took over Latakia's international
airport, a civilian facility adjacent to Hmeimim and whose operations were
closely linked to Russia's presence. Both the Hmeimim
and Tartus bases had remained operational while talks were ongoing.
Damascus has expressed a willingness to cooperate with Moscow after
Assad's fall, and Sharaa has visited Putin twice since then. During Sharaa's
last visit in January, Putin said "much has been accomplished in terms of
restoring our interstate relations", commending Sharaa for his "efforts to
restore Syria's territorial integrity".
China, India reaffirm border peace, expand communication channels
LBCI/August 26, 2026
China, India reaffirm border peace, expand communication channels
China and India reaffirmed their commitment to maintain peace and tranquility in
the border areas as they seek "fair, reasonable and mutually acceptable
settlement," China's foreign ministry said on Wednesday after high-level
boundary talks in Beijing.euters
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Former grand mufti’s life sentence shows how far Syria will pursue
Assad-era religious enablers
HANI NESIRA/Arab News/August 26, 2026
CAIRO: The conviction of Syria’s former grand mufti Ahmad Badreddin Hassoun and
Washington’s decision to remove a major obstacle to economic engagement came
within hours of each other this week, highlighting two central elements of the
country’s post-Bashar Assad transition. On Monday, a court in Damascus sentenced
Hassoun to life imprisonment after convicting him of charges including inciting
civil war and sectarian strife, incitement to intentional homicide and
exploiting his position as the country’s senior Muslim cleric.
The court also ordered the confiscation of his movable and immovable
assets and their transfer to the public treasury. Hassoun, 77, was Syria’s grand
mufti from 2005 until 2021, when the government abolished the position. He was
closely associated with Assad and frequently appeared alongside the former
president at religious and official occasions. His
conviction was the 10th sentence handed down against an Assad-era figure since
Syria’s new authorities began legal proceedings against officials in April. It
was also the first conviction of a religious figure in the cases launched
against members and supporters of the former government.
The case has placed the role of religious officials during Syria’s civil
war under renewed scrutiny, particularly the extent to which public figures who
supported the Assad government could face legal consequences for their actions
and statements. Hassoun, a native of Aleppo whose
father was also a prominent religious figure, entered Syrian politics decades
before the uprising. He served as a member of parliament from 1990 and became
grand mufti in 2005.
After protests against Assad began in Daraa in March 2011, Hassoun became one of
the government’s most prominent religious defenders.
He repeatedly appeared in support of the authorities as the uprising developed
into a nationwide conflict. Critics accused him of using his position to justify
the government’s military campaign and of making statements that encouraged
violence against opponents. Opposition supporters
referred to him as the “mufti of the barrels,” linking him to the government’s
use of barrel bombs against opposition-held areas.
Prosecutors in his trial cited Hassoun’s relationships with Assad, former
intelligence chief Ali Mamlouk and senior military and militia figures. They
also presented speeches and lectures that prosecutors said amounted to
incitement against civilians and encouragement of attacks on opposition-held
areas. The charges against him included “inciting
civil war and sectarian strife,” for which he received the life sentence. He was
also convicted of “incitement to intentional homicide,” “principal complicity in
intentional homicide” and “inciting sectarian and racial strife,” receiving
additional prison terms ranging from three to 20 years.
Hassoun was arrested at Damascus airport on March 26, 2025, while attempting to
leave the country. His trial began on June 25, 2026, and was conducted over
three hearings before the court issued its verdict. His prosecution is part of a
wider effort by Syria’s new authorities to pursue figures associated with the
Assad government. Assad fled Syria in December 2024 as his government collapsed
and is now living in exile in Russia. On Aug. 11, Syrian authorities sentenced
Assad, his brother Maher, and five other former security officials, to death in
absentia over atrocities committed during the civil war.
Two other members of the former ruling family, Atif Najib and Wassim Assad, have
also received death sentences after being tried in person. More than 500,000
people were killed and millions displaced during the Syrian civil war, while
tens of thousands disappeared. The scale of the abuses presents the new
authorities with a broad legal and political challenge. Those potentially
implicated in the former system include senior government officials, military
commanders, security personnel, businessmen and public figures who supported or
benefited from Assad’s rule. Hassoun’s case extends that question to religious
authority. As grand mufti, he occupied a prominent position within the state’s
religious establishment and was closely associated with Assad during the
conflict. His conviction therefore puts particular focus on whether Syria’s
transitional justice process will address not only direct perpetrators of
violence but also officials and public figures accused of facilitating or
encouraging abuses. How that responsibility is defined is likely to become an
important issue as further Assad-era cases proceed.
Gaza ‘does not have another catastrophe left
in it,’ Board of Peace chief warns Security Council
Ephrem Kossaify/Arab News/August 26, 2026
NEW YORK: Gaza “does not have another catastrophe left in it,” Nickolay
Mladenov, the US-appointed high representative for Gaza told the Security
Council on Wednesday.
Collapse of the ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas would leave “no
road map to return to” and “nothing left of the ground to rebuild,” he warned.
Mladenov is tasked by Washington with leading the Board of Peace, a US-led
international body established to oversee governance, reconstruction and
security coordination in Gaza following the October 2025 truce.Briefing the
Council on the implementation of Resolution 2803, which was adopted in November
2025 and endorsed the US peace plan for Gaza, Mladenov said a full collapse into
a renewed escalation of violence “would not be a setback” but “a point of no
return for everyone.”His warning came as he set out the progress so far on a
15-point Board of Peace road map that was accepted by Hamas and other
Palestinian factions on July 30, under which armed groups agreed for the first
time to hand over their weapons and cede governing authority, civilian and
security, to a transitional administration recognized by the UN.
Mladenov described the accord as “a historic breakthrough,” echoing language
used by US President Donald Trump, but cautioned that “an agreed document on
disarmament does not immediately mean a disarmed Gaza.”He said the architecture
of the road map rests on three elements: public acceptance by Hamas and other
armed factions of full demilitarization and the handover of governance;
agreement on the principle of “One Authority, One Law, One Weapon”; and a
performance-based, rather than calendar-based, sequencing in which “a phase
opens only when the previous one has been certified as completed.”He added that
the approach to implementation would be “to trust nothing and verify
everything.”Weapons are to be removed from factional control, placed in the
custody of the National Committee for the Administration of Gaza and rendered
unusable, under international supervision, Mladenov said. The committee, led by
Palestinian technocrat Ali Shaath and constituted in January under Resolution
2803, has drawn up a six-month recovery program, created a vetting system for a
future civilian police service, and prepared operational plans for security,
public payments and early recovery efforts, Mladenov added.He stressed that it
“will never be a replacement” for the Palestinian Authority and is intended only
to govern through the transitional period.Regarding the humanitarian situation,
Mladenov said conditions had “significantly improved” since the Famine Review
Committee confirmed the presence of famine in Gaza a year ago. The Integrated
Food Security Phase Classification declared that the famine conditions had been
offset by December 2025 and acute malnutrition mitigated across the territory,
he added.
However, he cautioned that the gains, though “real,” were “very easily
reversible.” In particular, he pointed to funding shortfalls flagged by OCHA,
the UN’s humanitarian affairs agency, that could disrupt food and aid pipelines
as early as the end of September.
Shelter shortages also remain unresolved as winter approaches, Mladenov said, as
he described Israel’s current policy on shelter materials entering Gaza as “not
acceptable” and urged authorities to allow better shelter equipment to enter the
territory.
The peacekeeping International Stabilization Force planned for Gaza, commanded
by US Maj. Gen. Jasper Jeffers, continues to grow as more countries contribute
troops, Mladenov said, alongside the development of a deconfliction mechanism
intended to resolve emerging threats before they can escalate. He said that
Israeli strikes on Gaza have continued since the acceptance of the peace road
map and that Palestinian civilians were still being killed, though casualties
had “fallen sharply.”Mladenov made three requests of the Council: to reaffirm
publicly that full decommissioning of factional weapons in Gaza and
implementation of the Sharm Al-Sheikh Protocol for peace in the territory
represent the only path to Israeli withdrawal, reconstruction and a credible
political track toward Palestinian self-determination; to mobilize support for
the international stabilization force and the National Committee; and to
preserve the political endpoint of the transition.He said the alternative was
either reoccupation of Gaza by Israel, or a return to the prewar status quo in
which Hamas was “neither disarmed nor removed from governance, but managed.”
Both, he said, “are actually postponement, and both end in the same place.”
The choice is therefore: “A Gaza disarmed, rebuilt and reconnected to the world.
Or a Gaza rearmed, divided and in rubble, with a radicalized generation raised
inside it and the next war already on the horizon.”
Maps Looking for an Emergency Exit
Jamal Al-Kashki/Asharq Al Awsat/August 26/2026
Without identifying the disease, we will never find the cure. And without
acknowledging that the international order is in crisis, we will not succeed in
finding a way out. Tons of ink have been spilled in studies and articles before
we could understand what today's world really is, though, in my view, it
resembles a state of non-peace and non-war, a dangerous condition familiar to
anyone who has experienced it in the past, and one that resembles life in the
gray zones. On the eve of the Great War, the world of that era decided to
establish an international organization that would regulate conflicts, arbitrate
among competing parties, and anticipate disputes before they reached the point
of confrontation. Other institutions emerged from it, foremost among them the
Security Council, the international community's enforcement arm.
More than eighty years after its founding, we find ourselves at a sharp
crossroads, one that is bringing us dangerously close to a terrifying moment of
confrontation, a moment that could make the wars of the past seem like mere
passing episodes. This crossroads did not emerge overnight. It was the result of
an accumulated failure in international norms and the application of
international law, the monopoly of the veto by just five states, the
confrontation between East and West during the Cold War, and the failure of
newly independent states to seize opportunities for development after gaining
independence from colonial rule, particularly in the 1950s and 1960s.
Are we writing a history lesson here? No. We are trying to seize the moment from
the roar of artillery, the buzz of drones and the whine of missiles, warfare
conducted at a distance, the erosion of traditional battlefronts, the race among
states to dominate the realm of innovation, and the growing diversity of the
sources of national power. No state or nation will be
able to withstand life in the gray zones without relying on itself, and that is
another story. I can say that the old world has cracked, broken, and shattered,
but it has not yet disappeared. Some say it is still a unipolar world; others
say it is a multipolar world without anyone formally declaring it.
I can also say that it is a world living in a gray zone, or in a state of
non-peace and non-war, a stage that is, for the most part, dangerous and
inconclusive. On the one hand, states spend on weapons and their production at
the expense of development and their economies. On the other, they find
themselves in a state of constant anxiety. Neither condition can produce any
kind of stable, reassuring peace. And with the international organization
rendered virtually powerless, and with international law and the principles of
international legitimacy increasingly disregarded, reality becomes ever more
fluid. The paradox becomes even sharper as military
spending among the great powers continues to rise, consuming resources that
could otherwise be directed toward development, health, education, and the fight
against poverty. The world is not merely spending more on weapons; it is paying
for that spending out of its own future. When security becomes a burden that
weighs on economies and societies, it pushes the needs of development further
down the list of priorities.
When a state such as Iran takes control of the Strait of Hormuz, an energy
lifeline and one of the world's key corridors for global trade, despite the fact
that it is governed by the 1982 Law of the Sea, it offers a stark illustration
of the fragility of international law. It also sets a precedent that other
states could follow if they come to regard maritime corridors and straits as
spoils to be seized. The result is a world that learns to live with and adapt to
a state of non-peace and non-war. The question is: Why have we reached this
point? Here, I will focus on a single point, the failure to respect
international law. Is it conceivable, for example, that binding resolutions
concerning the Palestinian question could simply disappear from the corridors of
international diplomacy, resolutions such as 181, 194, 242, and 338?
What is striking is that these resolutions emerged alongside the founding of the
United Nations, coexisting with it without ever finding their way to
implementation. I focus on this particular issue because regional and global
tensions emanate from it and ultimately return to it. Since October 7, 2023, it
has proven to be at the heart of the world's painful story. Likewise, the wars
raging across the region, and neighboring regional powers such as Iran, have
used this issue as a pretext to extend their reach across the region and build
protective shields for their own interests.
Current realities demonstrate that unrealistic ideas have helped produce the
global condition we face today. Imperial ambitions, the aspirations associated
with what is known as the export of revolutions, the invocation of vanished
empires or a long-absent caliphate, or the idea of a Greater Israel, all of
these are ideas hovering in a void, yet they push reality toward further
confrontation. And so we have arrived at a condition
resembling life in the gray zones. We are facing neither a comprehensive war
capable of settling the conflict nor a genuine peace capable of producing
stability. Between these two states, the world hangs suspended, between an
international order that is eroding, rules that are losing their power to bind,
new powers searching for their place, old ideas insisting on restoring a world
that no longer exists, and maps searching for an emergency exit.
And the question that now imposes itself is this: Do we have the courage to
create a new order, or will we continue searching for twenty-first-century
solutions with the tools of the last century?
A Review of Political and Economic Geography
Dr. Abdel Monem Said/Asharq Al Awsat/August 26/2026
I hope no one has tired of the well-worn saying that if a person does not choose
his parents, states do not choose their neighbors. To which one might add the
region as well, since a region is made up of adjoining neighbors that have lived
a shared history in which each country’s interests took shape according to what
its people and its leadership settled upon.
The establishment of the state of Israel astride the line separating the eastern
and western halves of the Arab world produced ongoing conflicts and wars. At
that time Iraq's invasion of Kuwait under Saddam Hussein had not yet come to
pass, nor had border disputes among the Arab states been settled; and certainly,
it had not yet entered the maddest dreams of the ISIS terrorist organization to
found a "caliphate" on the Syrian-Iraqi border.
In general, geography, as an expression of place, has taken up a great deal of
human attention. In the human sciences it has given rise to important terms
covering relations of power between neighbors, or between regions of neighbors -
what has been called the geopolitical, where tendencies toward hegemony and
control come into play. And when economics and mutual benefit enter into it, it
becomes the geoeconomic.
Globalization, which was built on planetary relations across the earth, went
beyond both of these into another kind of competition, one into which culture,
identity, and religion entered. The world, having grown small, became a kind of
neighborhood in which states and regions compete. When it became apparent that
this was causing world wars in which the atomic bomb was used, it forced a
global maturing of international law, which has itself now come under scrutiny.
The modern world has tried to move past this, as is well known, through regional
formations in which free trade was the starting point and which then extended
into other fields of exchange and cooperation.
Europe was the pioneer, because of the Second World War, and so came the
European Union. Asia followed in the wake of the Vietnam war and the wars of
Southeast Asia, when ASEAN was born. In North America the grouping was born that
brings together the United States, Canada, and Mexico. In South America a free
trade area was born, Mercosur, comprising Brazil, Argentina, Uruguay, and
Paraguay.
All these attempts were efforts to merge political geography with economic
geography and to take both in cooperative directions that would prevent war and
advance peace. Despite its military form, the NATO alliance straddled the
European and North American regions.
With the beginning of the second decade of the 21st century, this orientation
took another turn, with the eruption of conflicts and wars. The
Russian-Ukrainian case imposed a geographic and historical neighborhood between
Russia and Ukraine, whether in the era of the Russian tsars or under the
Bolsheviks, and it carried an important influence after the fall of the Soviet
Union.
A glance at the maps shows that Ukraine was always situated in Russia's embrace,
a condition compounded by Moscow's annexation in 2014 of the Crimean peninsula,
which Nikita Khrushchev had attached to Ukraine in 1954, making it part of the
Soviet system. Ukraine was one of three Soviet republics - with Russia and
Belarus - that represented the Soviet Union in international organizations.
Ukraine had its own virtues as a substantial part of the Soviet Union's
agricultural and industrial base. It also had its ample share of Soviet military
industry, particularly the nuclear part of it. The collapse of the Soviet Union
in December 1991 and Russia's declaration of independence from it gave 14 other
republics the chance to become independent, Ukraine among them. But that was
perhaps the beginning of processes of fragmentation affecting many federal
unions, such as Yugoslavia and Ethiopia, and of the rise of sectarianism and
ethnicity as foundations for states that found themselves worthy of taking part
in globalization in their own person rather than through the persons of others.
The Middle Eastern condition that followed the "Arab Spring" rested politically
and strategically on two concepts. The first was that the contradictions and
conflicts inside the state were fiercer and bloodier than any other regional
conflicts. Civil war spread through more than one country, and in others
tensions were sharp enough to require either external intervention or the armed
forces taking over the running of politics.
The second was that the state's effectiveness contracted as a principal actor in
regional relations, and alongside it there appeared actors that were not states,
such as the terrorist Muslim Brotherhood group and its subordinate militias,
subjecting political and economic geography alike to absolute concepts. What is
happening requires further thought and study.
Isaac Choua: A Love Letter to
Lebanon from a Lebanese Jew
Now Lebanon/August 26/2026
https://eliasbejjaninews.com/2026/08/156981/
On the hundredth year of the Maghen Abraham synagogue of Beirut
Our destinies are intertwined. Though I was born in Brooklyn because the
Lebanese Civil War drove my family from Lebanon in the 1970s, my heart belongs
to Lebanon. My connection is more than heritage; it is a living memory passed
down through my family. Our roots run deep, from Deir El Qamar to Beirut. Even
without setting foot on your soil, I, like many Lebanese abroad, know the ache
of el-ghorbe, and cherish the nostalgia of what you were and what you could be.
The Lebanon I hold dear is painted with my parents’ memories, filled with joy,
community, and traditions. It is the Lebanon of falafel with ṭourmos after
school, sunlit beaches, and the cool breezes of ʿAley’s mountains. Through their
stories, I have walked the Souks al-Franj and el-Nouriyé in Beirut, breathed in
the spices of the markets, and heard the laughter of families gathering for
meals. These recollections reflect a yearning for a Lebanon where diverse
communities lived side by side, respecting and celebrating each other’s
differences. That yearning is rooted in a shared history spanning thousands of
years.
Our connection transcends nostalgia. It is anchored in a shared heritage that
predates today’s conflicts. The ties between the Jewish people and Lebanon are
ancient and sacred. Lebanon’s cedars helped construct the First Temple in
Jerusalem, and Hebrew and Phoenician share the linguistic inheritance of the
ancient Canaanite world. Our sages even remembered the ancient Hebrew script by
the curious name ketav Libona’ah, and the Psalms place the cedars of Lebanon
among the “trees of the Lord.”
My family’s roots are in Deir El Qamar, where my ancestors prayed in a synagogue
established in 1638, in the time of Fakhr ad-Dīn Maʿan II, and where Jews lived
alongside Druze, Maronites, and others. In the 1840s, amid conflict, my family
moved to Beirut. My great-great-grandfather, Ḥakham Musa Choua, became a notable
figure in the Jewish community, a successful merchant known as “le Dirani” for
his roots in Deir El Qamar. My great-aunt, Dr. Évelyne Choua, was a beacon of
care who served the community’s Biqqur Ḥolim, its society for the care of the
sick, and ensured hospital beds were available for all, regardless of faith.
Their lives reflected the values of coexistence and service that my family
carried with it.
When my family came down from Deir El Qamar to Beirut, they arrived in a city
whose Jewish life was rising toward its fullest flowering, and its crown was the
synagogue of Maghen Abraham.
This month marks one hundred years since Maghen Abraham was inaugurated in Wadi
Abu Jamil on August 25, 1926, in the quarter we lovingly called the Valley of
the Jews. The photographs from that first day show a hall hung with garlands and
packed wall to wall, the whole community pressed in to watch its doors swing
open. The joy was such that the community asked, in its own newspaper, that the
day be kept and its memory renewed through the years.
They named it Maghen Abraham, the Shield of Abraham, invoking a patriarch whose
name, Abraham or Ibrahim, belongs to the sacred memory of this entire region. It
was never only a house of prayer. Around it stood a school, a clinic, a mikveh
(1), and a house of study, and the neighbors who came to watch it rise were
Druze and Maronite, Sunni and Shiʿa, for in that valley this was simply what a
Beirut street was made of.
I know every entrance and every corner of Maghen Abraham, and I have never once
stood inside it.
To love a place you have never seen is a strange thing, and I have carried it
all my life.
Today the synagogue has been lovingly restored, stone by stone, after years in
which it stood roofless and filled with rubble. It is beautiful and it is empty.
There is no regular minyan (2) to gather there for prayer, nor a rabbi to lead
it, and so its survival, more than its use, is the gift it offers now.
Yet its name is never silent. “Shield of Abraham” is the seal of the first
blessing of the ʿAmidah (3), recited three times each day, and this very
morning, in Paris and Montreal and São Paulo, in the corner of Brooklyn where so
much of Jewish Beirut came to rest, and in a dozen cities besides, someone
sealed that blessing with the very words above its locked door in Wadi Abu Jamil.
The valley may have emptied, but the blessing was never kept within its walls.
This is the Lebanon I carry with me, a place where our histories intertwine,
where ancient synagogues and cedar forests speak to a legacy that belongs to all
of us. It is a Lebanon I long to see, a land that feels like home even from
afar.
Today, my heart aches for a Lebanon that has too often been made a battlefield,
a land of shared history turned into a theater for wars its people never chose.
For fifty years now, from the civil war that scattered my own family to the
conflicts that still scar the south, Lebanon has paid with its towns and its
children for the ambitions of factions and forces that have placed themselves
above the country itself.
I have never confused Lebanon with those who have taken it hostage. The Lebanon
I love is not the property of any faction or any gun. It belongs to its people.
My hope, my prayer, is that Lebanon can reclaim its sovereignty so that its
destiny belongs to the state and its people, and to no faction or force above
them.
And I dream of a Lebanon that rediscovers its own oldest roots, where the ties
among its communities bind them more strongly than any force that would divide
them. Our shared history reminds us that coexistence is not foreign to us; it is
part of our history. From the friendship of King Solomon and King Hiram to the
everyday life once shared among Jews, Druze, Christians, and Muslims on a single
Beirut street, we have long known another way.
Let us draw from that past to build a better future. I envision a Lebanon where
all its people, regardless of faith, can thrive in peace, a Lebanon that honors
its diverse heritage and welcomes home the children it lost.
Ya Libnan, my love for you is as enduring as the cedars that stand tall in your
forests. I dream of walking your streets, of standing at last inside Maghen
Abraham on a morning when its benches are full again, and of feeling the
connection passed down through generations. I pray for the day I can finally
come home to a Lebanon reflecting the values of coexistence, respect, and peace
that my family cherished.
This is my love letter, a plea to remember our shared past and strive for a
future where we stand side by side as neighbors, friends, and family. As the
Song of Songs says, “The beams of our house are cedars.” (4) May those beams
stand strong once again, supporting a home built on peace, unity, and shared
dreams.
With love,
Isaac Choua
Rabbi Isaac Choua is a writer of Lebanese Jewish descent, his family from Deir
El Qamar and Beirut.
The views in this story reflect those of the author alone and do not necessarily
reflect the beliefs of NOW.
Endnotes
(1) Mikveh: Jewish ritual bath used for ritual purification in accordance with
Jewish law.
(2) Minyan: the quorum of ten Jewish adults traditionally required for certain
communal prayers and religious rituals in Judaism.
(3) ʿAmidah (standing prayer), is the central prayer of the Jewish liturgy,
traditionally recited while standing and consisting of a series of blessings
addressed to God.
(4) Song of Songs 1:17
They Are Against the Principles of the Country They Live In': The Islamization
of Europe
Robert Williams/Gatestone Institute/August 25, 2026
https://eliasbejjaninews.com/2026/08/156979/
"Europe should wake up. If they remain silent it will be destroyed from within.
It is almost already destroyed. If Europe does not wake up and prosecute these
people... these people are not only Hamas. These people are against freedom,
against democracy, against secularism, they are against the basic principles of
the country they live in." – A Gazan living in Belgium, Channel 12 News, July
2026.
After the report was issued, Belgian federal MP Sam van Rooy... requested a city
council emergency session, but could not find enough votes to get one. No
meeting was held; no other party found it necessary.
This indifference to the security of the local Christian and Jewish communities,
the city and country at large, is particularly jarring after documentation
exposed that Hamas was planning an October 7-style mass attack against Jewish
and Israeli targets in Europe, scheduled to coincide with the second anniversary
of the October 7, 2023 atrocities.
Perhaps one might argue that the Belgian government, which has shown itself to
be extremely anti-Israel, does not care that Hamas raises funds in the country:
the victims are "only" Israelis and Jews. So far.
"Germany and other European countries are now increasingly being viewed as
operational areas for possible attacks." —German Federal Prosecutor General Jens
Rommel, Jerusalem Post, June 16, 2026
In 2024, Belgium received half of all Palestinian asylum applications submitted
in the entire EU. In that year alone, 3,281 Palestinians were granted formal
refugee status by Belgium.
"This is not a Jewish problem, but a European problem." – Ralph Pais, vice-chair
of the Jewish Information and Documentation Center, Antwerp, Belgium, September
11, 2025.
At the heart of the European Union, Belgium exemplifies better than perhaps any
other Western European country the extent to which political elites seem to
almost relish the degree to which Europe is being Islamized.
In July 2026, Israel's Channel 12 News aired a report warning that Hamas
terrorists, including high-ranking members of the organization's Al-Qassam
Brigades, now live in Antwerp -- some of whom, according to local Gazans opposed
to Hamas, are receiving Belgian citizenship.
"Little Gaza," as the neighborhood in northern Antwerp is called in the report,
has a large population of Gazans from Khan Younis, a major Hamas stronghold.
Hamas-linked residents there traffic in illegal narcotics, run shops and
restaurants, and send the proceeds to Hamas in Gaza, according to the
interviewed Gazans, who only dared speak anonymously out of fear of revenge from
local Hamas supporters.
"You feel as if you are visiting Palestine", one Arab said. The local baker, who
sells only Gazan specialties, agreed that walking on that street was like
"walking in Khan Younis."
According to the Channel 12 report:
"In little Gaza in the heart of Antwerp you get the scent of the Strip,
literally. From restaurants... to shops and supermarkets, most business owners
come from Khan Younis. The names of the stores also reflect the character of the
immigrants here: From 'Haifa market' on the way to 'Rafah Market', and, of
course, 'Al Quds....'
"Some people here in the street support Hamas, they are also from Gaza. Others
say it's a terrorist organization. But no one dares to say that out loud,
because they know that this terrorist organization can get anybody through their
people, who are also here...voices against Hamas are only a whisper in Gaza
because of fear from the threats of the terrorist organization. But the strange
thing is that they are also afraid here in Antwerp, in Belgium, in Europe..."
The journalist, an Israeli, asked a Gazan whether he personally knew anyone from
Hamas living in Antwerp. The man responded:
"The man who investigated me when I was in Israel is in Antwerp...and now has a
Belgian citizenship. He was even a leader in Hamas in the regiment of Din Al-Qassam...
he collects money.... all these businesses they [Hamas] opened here. Donations
are collected through banks. They have businesses here, they have drugs."
"They send money to Hamas and support them," said another local Gazan. He
mentioned fundraisers for the children of Gaza as one way to drive donations.
"Europe should wake up. If they remain silent it will be destroyed from within.
It is almost already destroyed. If Europe does not wake up and prosecute these
people... these people are not only Hamas. These people are against freedom,
against democracy, against secularism, they are against the basic principles of
the country they live in."
Belgian politicians, however, do not appear particularly bothered by this
increasing political, cultural and demographic threat. After the report was
issued, Belgian federal MP Sam van Rooy, who also serves as a representative in
the Antwerp City Council for the Vlaams Belang party, requested a city council
emergency session, but could not find enough votes to get one.
According to Van Rooy:
"This particularly worrying report shows that Hamas members and terrorists not
only live in Antwerp and operate shops and restaurants, but also sponsor Hamas
in Gaza and threaten opponents of Hamas," They have no place in our city and
must be tracked down, detained, and deported."
No meeting was held; no other party found it necessary.
This indifference to the security of the local Christian and Jewish communities,
the city and country at large, is particularly jarring after documentation
exposed that Hamas was planning an October 7-style mass attack against Jewish
and Israeli targets in Europe, scheduled to coincide with the second anniversary
of the October 7, 2023 atrocities.
Already in February 2024, Belgium's Minister of Justice Paul Van Tigchelt
confirmed that Belgian authorities are fully cognizant of Hamas' activities in
the country. He implicitly made it quite clear that no one could care less. "So
far, we know that Hamas is active in Belgium through various companies. The
activities (...) focus on lobbying and fundraising," he remarked at the time.
Hamas, in fact, has much more than shops and restaurants in Belgium. It has
front companies operating next to the European Commission and the EU Council.
Perhaps one might argue that the Belgian government, which has shown itself to
be extremely anti-Israel, does not care that Hamas raises funds in the country:
the victims are "only" Israelis and Jews. So far.
Europe's status, however, has changed. German Federal Prosecutor General Jens
Rommel – whose office has been arranging the arrests of nine of the Hamas
suspects behind the European October 7 terrorist plot – warned in June that
Europe no longer mainly serves as a place where terrorist organizations generate
funds to finance their terrorism.
"Rather, Germany and other European countries are now increasingly being viewed
as operational areas for possible attacks. This becomes particularly evident in
the case of Hamas. To prepare attacks in Europe, their foreign operatives,
sympathizers, or individuals connected to organized crime acquire and smuggle
weapons. They often hold European citizenship, or residence permits within the
Schengen Area, allowing them to move freely. They are highly mobile and
extensively networked, and some possess significant financial resources."
In Belgium, however, such concerns seem to play no role whatsoever. In 2024, the
country received half of all Palestinian asylum applications submitted in the
entire EU. In that year alone, 3,281 Palestinians were granted formal refugee
status by Belgium.
A Hamas terrorist from Khan Yunis, Mohannad al-Khatib, who participated in the
October 7, 2023 massacre but calls himself as a freelance journalist, was able
freely to enter Belgium to claim asylum there. Belgian authorities were only
alerted to his terrorist background because the Antwerp-based Jewish Information
and Documentation Center (JID) compiled information about him appearing in
footage inside or near Israeli territory during the Hamas invasion.
Ralph Pais, vice-chair of JID, said:
"It is incomprehensible that volunteers and citizens could identify this man
through open sources, while our security services apparently never noticed him.
The material clearly shows that he filmed the violence, applauded it, and openly
expresses support for Hamas, rocket attacks, and martyrdom.
"Anyone in Europe who wants to protect synagogues, schools, churches, metros, or
events has every interest in ensuring that terrorists do not enter unnoticed.
This is not a Jewish problem, but a European problem. We demand full
transparency about how such individuals gained access to Europe, and immediate
security checks by the competent authorities."
Although Al-Khatib's application was ultimately rejected by Belgium, he remained
in the country -- where he apparently continues to live -- and is free to travel
throughout the EU. Nobody cares.
Twice already, Hamas has thanked Belgium for its support. Perhaps Belgium and
other countries that align with and harbor terrorist groups should be viewed as
security threats to Europe?
**Robert Williams is based in the United States.
© 2026 Gatestone Institute. All rights reserved. The articles printed here do
not necessarily reflect the views of the Editors or of Gatestone Institute.
Selected Face Book & X tweets
on August 26/2026
JayGener
Stephen Harper just said it clean.
https://x.com/JayGenXer/status/2092425862511546773/video/1
The difficulties Canada faces cannot be blamed on Donald Trump.
In too many cases they stem from bad decisions by our own government.
That’s the whole file.
You can spend the next year blaming the Americans and making excuses for the
last decade of failure.
Or you can finally admit the rot started at home.
Competitiveness.
Productivity.
Capital flight.
Housing.
Energy.
Trade readiness.
None of that was invented in Washington last month.
Harper’s point is simple.
This moment either becomes another round of excuses or the moment Canada stops
making them.
One path leads to more managed decline.
The other leads to a country that can actually stand on its own feet.
Choose!
Sana Ebrahimi Ledene
The Mayor of New York City calls himself "anti-imperialism" and
"anti-occupation". Yet he wants you to celebrate the legacy of a 7th-century
warlord who married a 6 yo girl and slept with her when she was nine. The same
man taught his followers they could take the women of defeated enemies as sex
slaves, trophies of war. His followers then spread the religion by military
force across the Middle East and North Africa, exactly as their own scholars and
texts describe.
Quote
Mayor Zohran Kwame Mamdani@NYCMayor
·Mawlid al-Nabi Mubarak to Muslims in New York City and around the world. Today,
we honor the life and enduring legacy of Prophet Muhammad (May Peace Be Upon
Him), whose teachings of compassion, generosity,
Adam Kredo
SCOOP: US Investigators Have Proof That UNRWA ‘Social Worker’ Caught on Tape
Dragging an Israeli Corpse Into SUV on Oct 7 Was an Active Hamas "Military
Communications" Operative — USAID OIG now links at least 108 UNRWA staff to
Hamas & Oct. 7 massacre
Fox News Politics
UNHOLY ALLIANCE: A new report alleges Muslim Brotherhood-aligned networks have
embedded themselves across Canadian institutions — from elections and
universities to civil society organizations — raising alarms that Islamist
influence north of the border could pose a direct threat to the U.S. and Western
democracies. The roughly 200-page report from the Institute for the Study of
Global Antisemitism and Policy maps how these networks allegedly acquired
legitimacy, public funding, institutional access and political influence while
avoiding scrutiny. It claims "numerous apparent links" between the Muslim
Association of Canada and the Muslim Brotherhood, and alleges that a coordinated
"Vote Palestine" campaign secured endorsements from 344 candidates across four
political parties in Canada's 2025 election cycle. The Muslim Association of
Canada fired back, calling the report "nothing more than recycled Islamophobic
tropes dressed up as research."
Gilbert Thibodeau
MONTRÉAL/ Motion Palestine
The City should never have gotten involved
The city council adopted, by a vote of 54 to 6, a motion of solidarity with the
Palestinian people.
Even amended, even weakened, with most references to "genocide" and the call to
suspend ties with Israel removed, it was a mistake.
Montréal already has enough concrete problems. Potholes, housing crisis,
finances on the brink, cleanliness that's sorely lacking, homelessness that's
getting worse.
A city's mandate is to serve its citizens here and now. Not to play diplomat on
a conflict unfolding thousands of kilometers away, over which it has no
leverage.
Mayor Martinez Ferrada and her party modified the motion and voted for it. It's
the worst of both worlds. Strong enough to anger everyone, weak enough to
satisfy no one. A compromise that extinguishes nothing. It just keeps the fire
on a low simmer.
A mayor worthy of the name should say it clearly:
"Do you live in Montréal? Do you contribute to its development? Do you love this
city? Then you're a Montrealer. Period. I'll do everything I can to serve you
well, whether you're Black, white, Jewish, Muslim, Italian, Greek, Portuguese,
Spanish, or something else."
No international symbolism. No polarizing motions. No compromises that just
postpone the debate. Just a city that works, clean, safe, with efficient
services and sound finances.
Distant conflicts are Ottawa's business and that of international bodies.
Montréal, for its part, must take care of Montréal.
Ambassador Tom Barrack
Absolutely historic.
@POTUS’s ongoing Middle East Plan – A steadfast partner steps forward into a
national framework, and a united Syria for all takes shape.@POTUS ’s far-sighted
leadership opened the path for the SDF’s orderly integration into Syrian state
institutions—transforming past division into lasting partnership and restoring
to the Syrian people the opportunity to shape their common future.
Recognizing the Kurdish language in education and securing substantive roles for
our valued partners Mazloum Abdi and Ilham Ahmed within the Syrian government
pays due respect to their leadership, the sacrifices of our Kurdish partners,
and the constructive contribution they have made to regional stability—turning
yesterday’s separations into tomorrow’s shared purpose.
This is what real integration looks like: not winners and losers, but former
counterparts with differing points of view crafting a diplomatic solution to
strengthen the sovereign nation of Syria. One army, one government, one state.
🇺🇸🇸🇾
Casey Babb
In a heavily Jewish neighbourhood in Toronto, a man speaks into a megaphone,
accusing Jews of using "black magic" and "eating children." But this isn't just
any guy. This is Abbas Hamze — an instructor at multiple Canadian colleges.
Yeah, it's bad here.
Stockwell Day
Dear Prime Minister Carney, you brought a law into Canada, (Bill C-9) which
allows preachers to be arrested for hateful language. This man is expressing his
Muslim values. He is accusing Jews of rape and eating babies. Does this not
qualify him to be arrested?
Tom Harb
Mazloum Abdi announces the dissolution of the SDF and its full integration into
Syrian state institutions.
I understand that a nation needs one united army. What I struggle to grasp is
why the Kurds of northeast Syria who fought alongside U.S. forces against ISIS
and against Jabhat al-Nusra/ HTS are now dissolving their forces to merge into
an army whose senior ranks are jihadists, and which appears oriented more toward
Islamic teaching than constitutional principles.
One army is necessary. Trust is not automatic. A disaster is waiting to happen.
Iraqi Christian Foundation
Syrian Christians are still being murdered in cold blood, kidnapped, raped, and
arrested without charges under the Al-Jolani ISIS/Al-Qaeda Government running
Syria. Recently, Nader Boulos Tannous, a Syrian Christian man who had returned
to living in Syria from Sweden was murdered in cold blood by terrorists in Homs.
And this Syrian Christian man, Suleiman Khalil, the former mayor of the
Christian town of Sadad, Syria, has been arrested by the Syrian Government
without charges for 18 months. The former mayor is known for helping defend
Sadad from ISIS terrorists when they threatened the town in 2015. The
Al-Qaeda/ISIS government in Syria is refusing to allow him access to a lawyer
and has denied his requests for a Bible. There are also reports that this Syrian
Christian man is being tortured in a Syrian prison. Please say a prayer for him!
Removing Syria from the State Sponsors of Terrorism list is a horrific mistake
Matthew Boyle
Tom Barrack is kind of the definition of what not to do as a U.S. ambassador.
He’s been advocating for Turkish interests in Washington rather than American
interests in Turkey. Would be smart for @SecRubio to terminate him now, rather
than allowing this to continue to fester. x.com/LauraLoomer/st…
Laura Loomer
SCOOP: Source tells me that the State Department gave the White House a file on
Ambassador Tom Barack
@USAMBTurkiye with all of his biggest screw ups and offenses over the last 2
years.
White House source told me “the only thing saving Barrack from being fired right
now is his friendship with President Trump”. State Department wants Barrack
recalled ASAP.
**Tom Barrack @USAMBTurkiye, the Ambassador to Turkey has been called back to
Washington DC this week for “consultations”.
Shlomo Levi שלמה לוי
Tom Barrack is a complete traitor, just as Öcalan, the Turkish agent, is a
traitor in the eyes of the Kurds; for us Israelis, Tom is equally a traitor.
Both of them stole a great deal from the future of the Kurds.
Alexander Constantin
"Tom Barrack is a complete traitor, just as Öcalan, the Turkish agent, is a
traitor in the eyes of the Kurds; for us Israelis, Tom is equally a traitor.
Both of them stole a great deal from the future of the Kurds."
Shlomo Levi שלמה לוי
Tom Barrack is a complete traitor, just as Öcalan, the Turkish agent, is a
traitor in the eyes of the Kurds; for us Israelis, Tom is equally a traitor.
Both of them stole a great deal from the future of the Kurds.
Mossad Commentary
UNCONFIRMED, BUT WORTH WATCHING
Reports circulating in Israel claim Secretary of State Marco Rubio is
considering removing Tom Barrack from his Syria/Iraq mission, with