English LCCC Newsbulletin For Lebanese, Lebanese Related, Global News
& Editorials
For February 02/2026
Compiled & Prepared by: Elias Bejjani
#elias_bejjani_news
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Bible Quotations For today
Every firstborn male shall be designated as holy to the Lord
Holy Gospel of Jesus Christ according to Saint Luke
02/22-24/:"When the time came for their purification according to the law of
Moses, they brought him up to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord (as it is
written in the law of the Lord, ‘Every firstborn male shall be designated as
holy to the Lord’), and they offered a sacrifice according to what is stated in
the law of the Lord, ‘a pair of turtle-doves or two young pigeons."
Titles For The Latest English LCCC
Lebanese & Lebanese Related News & Editorials published
on/February
01-02/2026
President Aoun arrives in Madrid for two-day visit: Lebanon aims to boost
economic cooperation with Spain
Syria arrests group behind Mezzeh airport attacks, weapons traced to Hezbollah
Syria Says Busted Hezbollah-Linked Cell Behind Damascus Attacks
Hezbollah denies any activity or presence in Syria
Tensions erupt briefly in Qasr amid Lebanese Army raid
Hezbollah Signals Refusal to Work with Lebanese Authorities to Disarm North of
Litani
One Dead as Israel Strikes South Lebanon
Lebanese Army chief to meet senior US lawmakers during Washington visit
Israel: Any Hezbollah Strike Will Meet a "2024-Style" Response
Tensions in Al-Qasr: Army Raids Hezbollah Center and Fugitive’s Home
The "Al-Hol Lebanese" File Nears Its End: First Returnees Reach Tripoli
Hezbollah’s Militant Activity in Mezzeh and the Targeting of Ambassador Karam
Lebanon’s Health Ministry condemns threats against hospitals in the south
Reconstruction and Weapons: Two Lines That Never Meet/Jean El /eghali/Nidaa Al-Watan/February
2, 2026
Ending Unhinged Adventurism in Lebanon/Hanna Saleh/Asharq Al Awsat/February
01/2026
Titles For The Latest English LCCC Miscellaneous
Reports And News published
on/February 01-02/2026
Iran’s Supreme Leader Warns Any US Attack Would Spark ‘Regional War’
Israel braces for potential US strike on Iran amid diplomatic uncertainty—the
details
Top US, Israeli Generals Meet at Pentagon Amid Soaring Iran Tensions
Iran Says It Now Considers EU Militaries to Be Terrorist Groups
NATO's Ability to Deter Russia Has Taken a Hit with Trans-Atlantic Infighting
Israel to Terminate MSF Work in Gaza for Failing to Provide Palestinian Staff
List
Israel Says Partially Reopening Gaza’s Rafah Crossing
Gaza’s Rafah crossing set to reopen under Israeli, EU and Egyptian coordination
Jordanian king, Egyptian president discuss Gaza in Cairo meeting
Besieged by Gang Violence, Palestinian Citizens in Israel Demand More Security
US drops Iraq envoy as Washington steps up pressure on Iran-backed forces
Iraq Parliament Delays Presidential Vote Again
Al-Sharaa and Kurdish leader Barzani discuss implementing SDF ceasefire
agreement
Syria Kurds impose curfew in northeast cities before govt deal begins
Kurdistan Region Seeks Retroactive Compensation for Crimes Committed Under
Saddam Hussein
The ‘Vision’ That the Unaware Have Not Understood
Titles For The Latest English LCCC analysis & editorials from miscellaneous
sources published
on/February
01-02/2026
Is
Trump Being Bamboozled?: Islamic State Terrorists Threaten Comeback Thanks to
His Support for Syria's Islamist Leader/Con Coughlin/February 01/2026
Le régime de Cuba a entre 15 et 20 jours de combustible avant le collapse
total./François Bainy/2 février 2026
The Cuban regime has between 15 and 20 days of fuel left before total
collapse/François Bainy/February 02, 2026
The ‘Vision’ That the Unaware Have Not Understood/Yousef Al-Dayni/Asharq Al
Awsat/February 01/2026
Balkan states crucial to Turkiye’s Middle East policy/Dr. Sinem Cengiz/Arab
News/February 01, 2026
How Middle East can tackle its obesity crisis/Zaid M. Belbagi/Arab News/February
01, 2026
Balance key as Gulf states’ soft power grows/Maha Akeel/Arab News/February 01,
2026
The Latest
English LCCC Lebanese & Lebanese Related News & Editorials published on/February
01-02/2026
President Aoun arrives in Madrid for two-day visit: Lebanon aims to boost
economic cooperation with Spain
LBCI/February 01, 2026
Lebanese President Joseph Aoun arrived at Torrejón Military Airport in Madrid at
5 p.m. Beirut time (4 p.m. in Spain) for a two-day working visit. During his
stay, he will meet King Felipe VI and Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez, and several
agreements are expected to be signed. President Aoun is accompanied by Foreign
Minister Youssef Rajji, Lebanese Ambassador to Spain Hani Chemaitelly, and an
official delegation. Upon arrival, Aoun said the visit reflects “the deep,
fraternal ties between our countries,” noting Lebanon and Spain share
long-standing relations based on mutual respect, common interests, and shared
human values. He expressed gratitude for Spain’s support of Lebanon in regional
and international forums, including its contribution to UNIFIL since 2006, and
for backing the Lebanese Army through direct funding, training programs, and
logistical support. Aoun highlighted Lebanon’s inclusion as a priority country
in Spain’s 2024–2027 cooperation plan, with funding for key health and cultural
projects, and said the visit aims to boost economic cooperation, increase
Spanish investment, and expand Lebanese exports. He also emphasized
strengthening cultural ties, including Lebanese students in Madrid and Spanish
cultural centers in Beirut, Tripoli, and Jounieh. He noted shared values between
the two countries, including promoting interfaith dialogue, multiculturalism,
coexistence, adherence to international and humanitarian law, and prioritizing
dialogue over conflict.Finally, Aoun said talks with the King and Prime Minister
would seek Spain’s support within the EU to push for strict measures on Israel
to comply with the ceasefire agreement and fully implement U.N. Resolution 1701.
Syria arrests group behind Mezzeh airport attacks, weapons traced to Hezbollah
Reuters/February 01, 2026
DAMASCUS: Syria said on Sunday it had detained a group behind recent rocket
attacks on the Mezzeh military airport in Damascus, with investigators tracing
the weapons to Iran-backed Hezbollah. The interior ministry said security units
arrested all members of the group, which it said had carried out several strikes
on the airport in recent months, after surveillance of suspected launch sites
in several areas of the capital. The weapons used in the attacks originated
from Lebanon’s Hezbollah, an ally of former President Bashar Assad that once had
a large military presence across Syria supporting Assad’s army, the ministry
said.Hezbollah denied the allegations and said it had no activity or ties with
any group inside Syria. Authorities said they also seized a number of drones
the group was preparing to use in further operations. The ministry said only
that the detainees had links to unidentified “foreign entities,” without
mentioning Hezbollah or Iran. Reuters reported in November that Washington was
planning to establish a military presence at an air base in Damascus to help
enable a security pact that Washington is brokering between Syria and Israel.
The government denied the report. Security sources say Hezbollah left behind
weapons stockpiles, including drones, in parts of Syria after withdrawing its
forces following the collapse of Assad’s rule.
Syria Says Busted Hezbollah-Linked Cell Behind Damascus Attacks
Asharq Al Awsat/February 01/2026
Syria's interior ministry said Sunday that its forces had dismantled a cell that
was responsible for recent attacks targeting Damascus's Mazzeh district, saying
the weapons came from Lebanon's Hezbollah group. Security forces carried out
operations that "targeted a terrorist cell involved in several attacks on the
Mazzeh area and its military airport", a statement said, reporting that the cell
was dismantled and its members arrested. Forces also "seized a number of drones
that were prepared for use in terrorist acts", it said. "Preliminary
investigations with those arrested revealed their links to foreign entities, and
that the source of the rockets and launch platforms used in the attacks, as well
as the seized drones, goes back to Lebanese militia Hezbollah," the statement
added. The Iran-backed Hezbollah played a key role in Syria's civil war,
fighting alongside the forces of now ousted leader Bashar al-Assad. Syria was
formerly part of Iran's "axis of resistance" against Israel and enabled the
transfer of weapons and money from Iran to Hezbollah, but the new authorities in
Damascus have rejected Iranian influence. Last month, authorities said three
rockets hit the Mazzeh area, with one damaging a mosque and another coming down
near the military airport, without causing casualties.The Syrian Observatory for
Human Rights monitor said at the time that the mosque was in an area where
senior officials from Syria's new authorities live. And in December, state news
agency SANA quoted a military source as saying three projectiles of unknown
origin targeted the area near the Mazzeh military airport, without causing
damage or casualties. A month earlier, a woman was hurt in a rocket attack that
struck a house in the Mazzeh area, with SANA quoting a military source as saying
the attack was carried out "using rockets launched from a mobile platform".
Hezbollah denies any activity or presence in Syria
LBC/February 01/2026
Hezbollah affirmed that the party has no activity, connection, or relationship
with any party in Syria. In a statement commenting on the accusations issued on
Sunday by the Syrian Interior Ministry, which it said arbitrarily implicated
Hezbollah, the office stressed that the party has no presence on Syrian
territory and is keen to preserve Syria’s unity and the security of its people.
Tensions erupt briefly in Qasr amid Lebanese Army raid
LBCI/February 01, 2026
Brief moments of tension were reported in the Qasr area following a
confrontation between some residents and the Lebanese Army, which was quickly
brought under control. Images captured at the scene showed civilians, including
armed individuals, advancing toward a patrol of the Lebanese Army and Military
Intelligence in the area. The videos were accompanied by audio recordings
calling on people to gather, falsely claiming that the Lebanese Army was seeking
to confiscate a vehicle belonging to Hezbollah. Local, partisan and security
sources denied these claims to LBCI. According to a consistent account shared by
the three sources, the Lebanese Army and a Military Intelligence unit were
carrying out raids targeting individuals wanted for drug trafficking but failed
to locate them. In the same neighborhood, a vehicle resembling one used by one
of the wanted individuals was spotted parked in the area. When troops attempted
to search it, they found that it was legally registered and did not belong to
the suspect. This development triggered tensions, which were preceded by calls
for mobilization allegedly fueled by some of the wanted individuals and their
families. Images showed groups of people approaching army vehicles and personnel
at very close range. Security, partisan and tribal contacts later intervened to
calm the situation and restore order. Subsequently, the Lebanese Army and
Military Intelligence located the wanted individual’s vehicle elsewhere, where
it was seized.
Hezbollah Signals Refusal to Work with Lebanese Authorities
to Disarm North of Litani
Beirut: Nazeer Rida/Asharq Al Awsat/February 01/2026
Hezbollah announced on Saturday that it will not cooperate with authorities in
disarming its weapons north of the Litani River. Hezbollah MP Hussein al-Hajj
Hassan said: “Lebanon did everything asked of it. We have absolutely nothing
else to offer or speak about north of the Litani.”Army Commander Rodolphe Haykal
is set to travel to the United States next week on an official visit where he
will meet with military officials ahead of a Paris conference on March 5 to
support the army. The donor conference aims to provide funds to the military and
back its other duties, such as securing the border with Syria.
Hezbollah’s refusal to cooperate north of the Litani is a sign of the daunting
task ahead of the army. The Iran-backed party had cooperated with it south of
the Litani in line with the first phase to impose state monopoly over arms
across Lebanon.Significantly, Hezbollah’s ties with President Joseph Aoun have
become strained in recent weeks amid the latter’s remarks that he is committed
to the disarmament plan. Lebanese sources following up on the government’s plan
and contacts with Hezbollah said work north of the Litani demands political and
security efforts to be successful. The sources told Asharq Al-Awsat that the
region north is much larger than the one south of it, which demands greater
security and political cooperation with Hezbollah. Hezbollah had reluctantly
cooperated with the military south of the Litani.The US is closely monitoring
the situation in Lebanon, as well as the army’s disarmament plan. Hajj Hassan
criticized Lebanese officials, saying they were yielding to “American demands
and pressure without having a clear strategic vision. They are just complying
with the demands without confronting them with a comprehensive national
strategy.”“How do you intend to deal with the demands of the enemy [Israel] if
you don't have any negotiating cards?” he asked.“Concessions will only lead to
endless concessions,” he warned, while urging the government against “ignoring
Israel’s ongoing violations and crimes against Lebanon.”He demanded that Israel
withdraw from Lebanese regions it is occupying, end its daily violations and
release prisoners. This will pave the way for reconstruction and a national
security strategy. “Only then can we talk about the weapons,” he stressed.
“Other than that, we will not grant the enemy what it couldn’t achieve during
the most challenging period of the wars that we waged against it with great
perseverance.”An Israeli strike on south Lebanon killed one person on Saturday,
Lebanese authorities said, as the Israeli army said it targeted an operative
from the party. Israel has kept up regular strikes in Lebanon despite a November
2024 truce that sought to end more than a year of hostilities including two
months of all-out war with Hezbollah. It usually says it is targeting members of
the group or its infrastructure, and has kept troops in five south Lebanon
border areas that it deems strategic. Lebanon's health ministry said one person
was killed in a strike on the village of Rub Thalatheen, close to the Israeli
border.
The state-run National News Agency reported a man was killed in the strike while
"carrying out repair work on the roof of a house". The Israeli army said in a
statement that it killed a Hezbollah operative "who took part in attempts to
reestablish Hezbollah terror infrastructure in the Markaba area", adjacent to
Rub Thalatheen. It called the alleged activities "a violation of the ceasefire
understandings between Israel and Lebanon".This month, Lebanon's army said it
had completed the first phase of its plan to disarm Hezbollah, covering the area
south of the Litani river, around 30 kilometers (20 miles) from the Israeli
border. Israel, which accuses Hezbollah of rearming, has criticized the army's
progress as insufficient, while Hezbollah has rejected calls to surrender its
weapons. More than 360 people have been killed by Israeli fire in Lebanon since
the ceasefire, according to an AFP tally of health ministry reports.
One Dead as Israel Strikes South Lebanon
Asharq Al Awsat/February 01/2026
Lebanon said one person was killed and several others wounded in Israeli strikes
in the country's south on Sunday, as Israel said it struck Hezbollah targets.
Despite a November 2024 truce that sought to end more than a year of hostilities
including two months of all-out war between Israel and the Iran-backed group,
Israel has kept up regular strikes on Lebanon and has maintained troops in five
areas it deems strategic. Lebanon's health ministry said one person was killed
and three others wounded, including a 16-year-old boy, in an Israeli strike in
Ebba in the Nabatiyeh district, which is located in the country's south. The
state-run National News Agency said the strike targeted a vehicle whose driver
was killed, reporting a boy was among the wounded when his family's car passed
at the time of the raid and crashed. The Israeli military said it struck a
Hezbollah operative in the Doueir area, near Ebba, "in response to Hezbollah's
repeated violations of the ceasefire understandings".Earlier Sunday the health
ministry said a strike on Qanarit in the Sidon district, far from the Israeli
border, wounded one person. The NNA said the strike targeted a bulldozer "while
it was working to remove rubble" from the site of a previous Israeli attack. The
Israeli army said it struck "several Hezbollah engineering vehicles" but said
they were located in an area of south Lebanon it identified as Mazraat
Aboudiyeh."The vehicles were struck while being used by Hezbollah terrorists to
reestablish terror infrastructure sites in the area," the statement added.
Israel's military has previously targeted bulldozers, excavators and
prefabricated houses in south Lebanon, while Lebanese officials have accused
Israel of seeking to prevent reconstruction work in the heavily damaged south.
More than 360 people have been killed by Israeli fire in Lebanon since the
ceasefire, according to an AFP tally of health ministry reports.
Lebanese Army chief to meet senior US lawmakers during Washington visit
LBCI/February 01, 2026
Lebanese Army Commander General Rodolphe Haykal is set to meet with several
senior U.S. lawmakers during his upcoming visit to Washington next week, sources
told LBCI. According to the sources, Haykal will meet Republican Senator Lindsey
Graham, as well as Representative Brian Mast, chairman of the House Foreign
Affairs Committee. He is also scheduled to meet with Democratic Representative
Gregory Meeks, a senior member of the same committee.
Israel: Any Hezbollah
Strike Will Meet a "2024-Style" Response
Al-Markazia/February 01/2026 (Translated from Arabic)
Sources told Al-Hadath that Israel’s target list in Lebanon currently excludes
state infrastructure. However, Israel has informed Washington that any strike
launched by Hezbollah will be met with a massive military response, mirroring
the scale of the 2024 operations. The sources also noted that the U.S.
Ambassador in Beirut has requested "grace periods" regarding the issue of
Hezbollah’s weaponry, though Israel has signaled that these windows of time are
not open-ended. Furthermore, official U.S. reports indicate that Hezbollah
controls 250 land corridors with Syria used for smuggling, while also conducting
illicit transport operations through ports and coastal areas in Southern
Lebanon. Clear International Message: The Price of a New "Support War" Will Be
High Information obtained by Al-Jadeed suggests that French Foreign Minister
Jean-Noël Barrot will carry a blunt message to Lebanon: Should Hezbollah enter
the conflict following a potential military strike on Iran, the Israeli
retaliation against Lebanon will be "severe." This French warning is not the
first; similar messages have arrived from multiple global decision-making
capitals, stressing that the cost of Hezbollah initiating a new "support war"
will be devastatingly high for the country.
Tensions in Al-Qasr: Army Raids Hezbollah Center and
Fugitive’s Home
Al-Modon & Al-Markazia/February 01/2026 (Translated from Arabic)
Lebanese Army units conducted a raid in the Dalk area of the border town Al-Qasr,
targeting the home of a wanted individual who was not found on the premises. The
military subsequently expanded its search to the surrounding area, which
included entering a Hezbollah-affiliated center where they seized a personal
firearm. The news spread rapidly via WhatsApp groups, triggering an escalation
among town residents. A crowd gathered to block the road against military
vehicles, amid unconfirmed reports of ammunition being taken from inside the
army's vehicles during the standoff. Additional army reinforcements were
dispatched to the scene, and the situation was quickly de-escalated. The
incident ended peacefully, and calm has since returned to the area.
The "Al-Hol Lebanese" File Nears Its End: First Returnees Reach Tripoli
Jamal Mhaych/Al-Modon/February 0/2026 (Translated from Arabic)
The file of Lebanese nationals detained in the Al-Hol camp in northeastern Syria
has reached a decisive turning point. Two Lebanese women and their children
arrived in Tripoli this morning, marking the first batch to return after years
of detention by the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF). Sources told Al-Modon that
the majority of the 19 officially declared detainees are expected to reach
Lebanese soil soon, effectively closing this complex humanitarian and security
file. Between Escape and Official Coordination. According to Al-Modon’s sources,
the returns followed two parallel tracks: Escape: Some families managed to flee
by exploiting recent field chaos in the region. Official Coordination: Others
returned through formal channels under the direct supervision of the Syrian
Foreign Ministry. Sources indicate that this breakthrough resulted from intense
international pressure on the Syrian state to resolve the fate of the detainees.
On the ground, one woman has already reached her home in Tripoli, while the
second is finalizing legal procedures to receive her children. The transfers are
being carried out within established legal frameworks, with the expectation that
the file will be permanently closed, barring any undeclared cases or those still
stuck in remote areas.
Hezbollah’s Militant Activity in Mezzeh and the Targeting of Ambassador Karam
Nidaa Al-Watan/February 2/2026 (Translated from Arabic)
Security concerns have taken center stage in Lebanon, coinciding with rising
expectations of a potential U.S. military strike on Iran. Hezbollah has moved to
back the threats made by its Secretary-General, Sheikh Naim Qassem, who vowed to
abandon neutrality if Washington targets Iran’s Supreme Leader. Yesterday, the
group demonstrated, both politically and on the ground, its rejection of any
Lebanese plan to restrict weapons to the north of the Litani River. This was
underscored by its refusal to comply with the Lebanese Army during a suspicious
incident in the border village of Al-Qasr in the Bekaa region. These
developments unfolded as the Army Commander, General Rudolf Heikal, departed for
the United States for high-stakes talks regarding American and international
support to enable the military to uphold its responsibilities, specifically the
centralization of arms under state control.
The President Seeks Support from Spain
Amid delicate regional circumstances, President Joseph Aoun began a two-day
visit to Spain yesterday. Madrid is a pivotal and influential player within the
European Union. Sources told Nidaa Al-Watan that Aoun will discuss bilateral
relations, economic development, and Middle East peace prospects, alongside the
future of European UNIFIL contingents. Spain is a major contributor to the
mission, and several European nations expressed a desire to maintain their
presence in the south after the current UNIFIL mandate expires.
Lebanon Tightens Security Amid "Stray Missile" Fears
An official source told Nidaa Al-Watan that the Lebanese Army has intensified
its measures on the ground following Sheikh Qassem’s declaration of intent to
enter a "support war" for Iran. Security operations now span both sides of the
Litani River. There are mounting fears that a "third party" might intervene by
launching rockets from Lebanon to ignite a new conflict. The source clarified
that a firm message was delivered to Hamas leadership in Lebanon: any action
violating sovereignty or dragging Lebanon into a cycle of war will be met with a
harsh response. There is concern not only over Hezbollah operations but also
over "stray missiles" that could escalate the situation, as Israel utilizes any
military activity as a pretext to expand its bombardment.
Army Commander in the United States
In Washington, Nidaa Al-Watan’s correspondent reports that General Heikal’s
visit serves as a test for the Trump administration’s strategy of "conditioned
aid" amid a fragile ceasefire. Heikal is expected to meet with key military and
political figures, including Daniel Zimmerman, Assistant Secretary of Defense
for International Security Affairs. Diplomatic sources suggest the visit may
evolve from routine consultations into a "critical political test" for the
future of U.S. aid to the Lebanese Army, which currently exceeds $150 million
annually.
Hezbollah’s Campaign Against the "Mechanism"
Hezbollah has tasked Ibrahim Al-Mousawi, head of the party's media relations, to
launch a campaign against Ambassador Simon Karam, head of the Lebanese
delegation to the "Mechanism" Committee. Al-Mousawi described the appointment of
a civilian diplomat to lead the delegation as a "second sin," no less dangerous
than the decision to restrict weapons to the state. He warned that any
"improvisation" allowing Israeli interference outside the South Litani region
would be rejected. Simultaneously, a precedent-setting incident occurred in Al-Qasr,
Hermel. The Lebanese Army raided a site to apprehend wanted individuals,
searching a Hezbollah center and seizing a military vehicle. While such centers
were previously considered "off-limits," the aftermath saw armed locals blocking
roads and using voice messages to mobilize against the army to prevent the
seizure—tactics reminiscent of past confrontations between "locals" and UNIFIL
forces in the south.
Syrian Interior Ministry Implicates Hezbollah
In Damascus, SANA reported that the Syrian Ministry of Interior, in cooperation
with General Intelligence, dismantled a "terrorist cell" responsible for attacks
on the Mezzeh neighborhood and its military airport. Preliminary investigations
allegedly revealed the cell’s links to foreign entities, claiming that the
rockets, launchers, and drones seized were supplied by Hezbollah. Brigadier
General Ahmed al-Dalati, head of Internal Security in Rif Dimashq, told Al-Arabiya
that Hezbollah is linked to multiple smuggling networks for drugs and weapons.
He claimed the party recruited Syrians as sleeper cells. Al-Dalati noted that
Syrian security forces are monitoring both ISIS and Hezbollah activities in
"security vacuums," adding that coordination with Lebanese authorities regarding
border control has reached advanced stages. Hezbollah’s Media Relations
subsequently issued a statement denying any presence or activity in Syria.
Lebanon’s Health Ministry condemns threats against hospitals in the south
LBCI/February 01, 2026
Lebanon’s Health Ministry strongly condemned threats made against hospitals in
the south, describing them as a “serious attack and a blatant violation of
international laws and conventions,” particularly international humanitarian
law, which guarantees full protection for hospitals, health facilities and
medical teams at all times. The ministry stressed that hospitals are “purely
humanitarian institutions” that provide care to the wounded and the sick without
discrimination, adding that any targeting or threat against them endangers the
lives of patients and medical staff and constitutes a grave crime that cannot be
justified under any pretext. It emphasized the “need to keep the health sector,
in all its components, neutral and away from any hostile acts,” and called on
the international community, as well as international health and humanitarian
organizations, to “assume their responsibilities and exert pressure to halt
these violations and ensure the protection of health facilities and their
workers, in line with relevant international agreements.”
Reconstruction and Weapons:
Two Lines That Never Meet
Jean El Feghali/Nidaa Al-Watan/February 2, 2026 (Translated from
Arabic)
Israel intends to block the reconstruction of South Lebanon unless Hezbollah
surrenders its weapons, fearing the group will use the rebuilding process as a
cover to reconstitute itself. The reconstruction of the south has become one of
the most complex issues of the current era, tied inextricably to Hezbollah’s
arsenal. For Israel, these two paths are inseparable; reconstruction while the
weapons remain is viewed as a direct threat to its security. The Israeli
perspective is rooted in the experience following the 2006 July War. While the
south saw extensive rebuilding then, Israel contends that the period was used by
Hezbollah to reorganize and bolster its missile inventory while the
international community focused on stability. Consequently, there is a firm
Israeli conviction that reconstruction without disarmament merely reproduces the
causes of conflict rather than resolving them.Following this logic, Israel views
the materials, road networks, and infrastructure required for rebuilding as
dual-use assets that could facilitate military movement or the creation of
fortified sites within civilian areas. Therefore, unconditional reconstruction
is seen as a "delayed threat."The people of the south bear the brunt of this
deadlock, trapped between regional power plays. The absence of reconstruction
ensures continued economic suffering and prevents a stable return for displaced
citizens. However, under its strict security doctrine, Israel prioritizes the
prevention of Hezbollah’s military growth over humanitarian concerns, using
reconstruction as a lever for political and security pressure.In the Israeli
calculus, reconstruction and weapons are parallel lines that do not meet.
Rebuilding must be part of a comprehensive settlement that ensures Hezbollah’s
disarmament. Without a global political solution, South Lebanon remains a
hostage to this standoff, with civilians paying the price for a conflict with no
clear end in sight.
Ending Unhinged Adventurism in Lebanon
Hanna Saleh/Asharq Al Awsat/February 01/2026
As MP Hussein al-Hajj Hassan declared that “we have nothing to offer or to
discuss north of the Litani River,” thereby reiterating Hezbollah’s insistence
on its arms and “resistance,” in open defiance of the government’s decision to
limit weapons throughout Lebanon to state forces, the Israeli enemy proceeded
with its assault, turning vast regions north of the river into scorched earth
with attacks clearly intended to impose a new wave of displacement. According to
Ambassador Simon Karam, Lebanon’s representative on the “Mechanism,” Hezbollah
has not cooperated with the army, which nevertheless achieved tangible successes
in disarming areas south of the Litani and establishing its operational control
everywhere but the five occupied hills that grant the enemy control over
important parts of the forward-edge areas. This reality, confirmed by the
ceasefire monitoring committee, is denied by Nawaf al-Moussawi, head of the
“resources and borders” department in the party. “The army does not control the
area south of the Litani, and talk of the completion of the first phase does not
align with the facts on the ground,” he said. Hezbollah statements that show no
regard for Lebanese lives or their security continue to mount. This rhetoric
threatens to entangle Lebanon, the South in particular, in a war that would
bring further destruction and exhaust what remains of its capacities. The
madness peaked with Sheikh Naim Qassem’s commitment to defend Iran and his
assertion that Hezbollah would not remain neutral if the Islamic Republic were
targeted! On the ground, non-state arms weapons have failed every test. They
preserved no dignity, protected none of the men who carry them, and safeguarded
neither lives nor borders. Their confrontation with Israel has ended, and
clinging to them provides the enemy with a justification to collectively punish
the Lebanese, and consequently, to maintain and broaden occupation. This danger
now looms over areas north of the Litani, which the enemy controls by fire.
Despite this, denial overrides all else. Daily developments in the South today
reflect serious and alarming comprehensive escalation, for Hezbollah’s own
constituency in particular. There is a plan for physical liquidation targeting
elements tasked with organizational coordination in southern villages and towns.
That is, the enemy’s bank of targets is not limited to the “Jihad Council” and
its subsidiaries, which include leaderships, military elites, and field
commanders. The plan also extends to dismantling the party’s popular arms with
the aim of destroying the grassroots community supplying the “resistance” with
new fighters. In recent days, the enemy has indeed eliminated many of these
officials.
Despite its total helplessness in the face of Zionist violations and despite
Qassem’s reassurances that the weapons would not target Israelis, accusations of
treason have reached an unfathomable level of absurdity. Al-Akhbar claims that
“what the president’s administration and its government are doing... is the
establishment of a state that guards the security of the northern settlements.”
This is an approach that requires breaking the silence, and not merely rejecting
the discourse of treason and those behind it, those who consider everything that
has befallen Lebanon to be nothing more than collateral damage sacrificed for
Iran.The authorities that intend to begin the second phase of the disarmament
process, covering the region between the Litani and the Awali rivers, that is,
the rest of the South, must brandish the sword of policy against non-state
forces. It has been shown time and again that there is no way to pull the
country out of this quagmire, protect lives, and prevent the deepening of
defeat, without total disarmament across Lebanon. The time has come to leave
behind the era of illusions behind. This party is not capable of gradually
arriving at a national awakening. “We are resistance first and a political party
second, and this party works in the service of the resistance,” Moussawi tells
us, leaving no room for nuance. Before him, Qassem had said that “the resistance
does not exist because of circumstances, but because of principle, and principle
does not end even if circumstances change.”
Accordingly, this military-security militia founded in Lebanon, as part of a
strategy to protect the Iranian regime and arbitrarily given the name
“resistance,” has built its existence around the defense of the Iranian imperial
project, with no value or meaning to any other proposition, whether Lebanese or
Palestinian. Since Qassem has eloquently voiced the centrality of Iranian
objectives in this project, the ball is now in the Lebanese authority’s court.
They must demonstrate in practice that legitimacy is capable of putting an end
to this adventurism imposed on Lebanon.
The Latest English LCCC Miscellaneous Reports And News published
on/February 01-02/2026
Iran’s Supreme Leader Warns Any US Attack Would Spark ‘Regional
War’
Asharq Al Awsat/February 01/2026
Iran's supreme leader warned Sunday that any attack by the United States would
spark a "regional war" in the Middle East, further escalating tensions as
President Donald Trump has threatened to militarily strike the country over its
crackdown on recent nationwide protests. The comments from the 86-year-old Ali
Khamenei are the most-direct threat he’s made so far as the aircraft carrier USS
Abraham Lincoln and associated American warships are in the Arabian Sea, sent by
Trump there after Tehran's bloody crackdown on nationwide protests. It remains
unclear whether Trump will use force. He's repeatedly said Iran wants to
negotiate and has brought up Tehran's nuclear program as another issue he wants
to see resolved. But Khamenei also referred to the nationwide protests as "a
coup," hardening the government's position as tens of thousands of people
reportedly have been detained since the start of the demonstrations. Sedition
charges in Iran can carry the death penalty, which again renews concerns about
Tehran carrying out mass executions for those arrested — a red line for Trump.
Iran had also planned a live-fire military drill for Sunday and Monday in the
strategic Strait of Hormuz, the narrow mouth of the Gulf through which a fifth
of all oil traded passes. The US military's Central Command had warned against
threatening American warships or aircraft during the drill or disrupting
commercial traffic.
Khamenei warns US
Khamenei spoke to a crowd at his compound in Tehran as Iran marked the start of
a dayslong commemoration of the country's 1979 revolution. He, at one point,
described the US as being interested in its oil, natural gas and other mineral
resources, saying that they wanted to "seize this country, just as they
controlled it before." "The Americans must be aware that if they wage a war this
time, it will be a regional war," he said. The supreme leader added that: "We
are not the instigators, we are not going to be unfair to anyone, we don’t plan
to attack any country. But if anyone shows greed and wants to attack or harass,
the Iranian nation will deal a heavy blow to them." Khamenei also hardened his
position on the demonstrations after earlier acknowledging some people had
legitimate economic grievances that sparked their protests. The demonstrations
began Dec. 28, initially over the collapse of Iran's rial currency. It soon grew
into a direct challenge to Khamenei's rule. "The recent sedition was similar to
a coup. Of course, the coup was suppressed," he said. "Their goal was to destroy
sensitive and effective centers involved in running the country, and for this
reason they attacked the police, government centers, (Revolutionary Guard)
facilities, banks and mosques — and burned copies of the Quran. They targeted
centers that run the country." The US-based Human Rights Activists New Agency,
which relies on a network inside Iran to verify its information, reports that
over 49,500 people have been detained in the crackdown. It says the violence
killed at least 6,713 people, the vast majority of them demonstrators. The
Associated Press has been unable to independently assess the death toll and
arrest figures, given authorities have cut Iran's internet off from the rest of
the world. As of Jan. 21, Iran’s government put the death toll at a far
lower 3,117, saying 2,427 were civilians and security forces, labeling the rest
"terrorists." In the past, Iran’s theocracy has undercounted or not reported
fatalities from unrest.
That death toll exceeds that of any other round of protest or unrest in Iran in
decades and recalls the chaos surrounding the 1979 revolution.
Parliament speaker says EU militaries considered terrorist groups
The speaker of Iran's parliament, meanwhile, said that Tehran now considers all
European Union militaries to be terrorist groups, lashing out after the bloc
declared the country's paramilitary Revolutionary Guard a terror group over
taking part in the bloody crackdown. Mohammad Bagher Qalibaf, a former Guard
commander, announced the terror designation, which will likely be mostly
symbolic. Iran has used a 2019 law to reciprocally declare other nations'
militaries terror groups following the United States declaration of the Guard a
terror group that year. Qalibaf made the announcement as he and others in
parliament wore Guard uniforms in support of the force. The Guard, which also
controls Iran's ballistic missile arsenal and has vast economic interests in
Iran, answers only to Khamenei. "By seeking to strike at the (Guard), which
itself has been the greatest barrier to the spread of terrorism to Europe,
Europeans have in fact shot themselves in the foot and, once again, through
blind obedience to the Americans, decided against the interests of their own
people," Qalibaf said. Lawmakers at the session later chanted: "Death to
America!" and "Death to Israel!" at the session. Trump says Iran is ‘seriously
talking' to US
Trump has laid out two red lines for military action: the killing of peaceful
protesters or the possible mass execution of those detained in a major crackdown
over the demonstrations. He's increasingly begun discussing Iran's nuclear
program as well, which the US negotiated over with Tehran in multiple sessions
before Israel launched a 12-day war with Iran back in June. The US bombed three
Iranian nuclear sites during the war. Activity at two of the sites suggests Iran
may be trying to obscure the view of satellites as it tries to salvage what
remains there. Trump on Saturday night declined to say whether he’d made a
decision on what he wanted to do regarding Iran. Speaking to reporters as he
flew to Florida, Trump sidestepped a question about whether Tehran would be
emboldened if the US backed away from launching strikes on Iran, saying, "Some
people think that. Some people don’t."
Trump said Iran should negotiate a "satisfactory" deal to prevent the country
from getting any nuclear weapons, but said, "I don’t know that they will. But
they are talking to us. Seriously talking to us."
Israel braces for potential US strike on Iran amid
diplomatic uncertainty—the details
LBCI/February 01/2026
Israeli officials describe U.S. President Donald Trump’s policy toward Iran as
“defensive diplomacy,” combining military pressure with diplomacy in hopes of
reaching an agreement. Tel Aviv is skeptical that such an agreement will be
reached and estimates that, if it occurs, it will likely exclude ballistic
missile issues, leaving the security situation tense. Chief of Staff Major
General Eyal Zamir, who has ordered the army to maintain maximum readiness, said
after a situation assessment session that a U.S. strike could occur within two
weeks to two months. Zamir held intensive consultations with U.S. officials,
requesting that Israel be warned in advance of any imminent attack on Iran.
According to a security official familiar with the talks, contradictions in
statements about a possible deal reflect divisions within Iran’s leadership
between Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, who opposes negotiations, and other
officials who support them. The comments came as Prime Minister Benjamin
Netanyahu held his weekly cabinet session, against the backdrop of protests by
northern residents who have not been able to return to their homes. Netanyahu
pledged to restore the north, including Qiryat Shemona. Israel is taking Iranian
warnings and continued threats from President Trump toward Iran with utmost
seriousness.
Top US, Israeli Generals Meet at Pentagon Amid Soaring Iran
Tensions
Asharq Al Awsat/February 01/2026
The top US and Israeli generals held talks at the Pentagon on Friday amid
soaring tensions with Iran, two US officials told Reuters on Sunday, speaking on
condition of anonymity. The officials did not offer details about the
closed-door discussions between US General Dan Caine, the chairman of the Joint
Chiefs of Staff, and Eyal Zamir, the Israeli armed forces chief of staff. The
meeting has not been previously reported.The United States has ramped up its
naval presence and hiked its air defenses in the Middle East after President
Donald Trump repeatedly threatened Iran, trying to pressure it to the
negotiating table. Iran's leadership warned on Sunday of a regional conflict if
the US were to attack it.
Iran Says It Now Considers EU Militaries to Be Terrorist
Groups
Asharq Al Awsat/February 01/2026
The speaker of Iran's parliament said Sunday that his country now considers all
European Union militaries to be terrorist groups, lashing out after the bloc
declared the country's paramilitary Revolutionary Guard a terror group over its
bloody crackdown on nationwide protests. The announcement by Mohammad Bagher
Qalibaf, a former Guard commander, of the terror designation will likely be
mostly symbolic. Iran has used a 2019 law to reciprocally declare other nations'
militaries terror groups following the United States declaring the Guard a
terror group that year, The Associated Press said. However, it comes as tensions
are high in the Mideast as US President Donald Trump weighs a possible military
strike against Iran. Iran also planned a live fire military drill for Sunday and
Monday in the strategic Strait of Hormuz, the narrow mouth of the Arabian Gulf
through which a fifth of all oil traded passes. Qalibaf made the announcement as
he and others in parliament wore Guard uniforms in support of the force. The
Guard, which also controls Iran's ballistic missile arsenal and has vast
economic interests in Iran, answers only to Iran's 86-year-old Supreme Leader
Ali Khamenei. “By seeking to strike at the (Guard), which itself has been the
greatest barrier to the spread of terrorism to Europe, Europeans have in fact
shot themselves in the foot and, once again through blind obedience to the
Americans, decided against the interests of their own people," Qalibaf said.
Lawmakers at the session later chanted: “Death to America!” and “Death to
Israel!” at the session. Trump has laid out two red lines for military action:
the killing of peaceful protesters or the possible mass execution of those
detained in a major crackdown over the demonstrations. He's increasingly begun
discussing Iran's nuclear program as well, which the US negotiated over with
Tehran in multiple sessions before Israel launched a 12-day war with Iran back
in June. The US bombed three Iranian nuclear sites during the war. Activity at
two of the sites suggest Iran may be trying to obscure the view of satellites as
it tries to salvage what remains there.Trump on Saturday night declined to say
whether he’d made a decision on what he wanted to do regarding Iran. Speaking to
reporters as he flew to Florida, Trump sidestepped a question about whether
Tehran would be emboldened if the US backed away from launching strikes on Iran,
saying, “Some people think that. Some people don’t.” Trump said Iran should
negotiate a “satisfactory” deal to prevent the Middle Eastern country from
getting any nuclear weapons but said, “I don’t know that they will. But they are
talking to us. Seriously talking to us.”Ali Larijani, a top security official in
Iran, wrote on X late Saturday that “structural arrangements for negotiations
are progressing.” However, there is no public sign of any direct talks with the
United States, something Khamenei has repeatedly ruled out.
NATO's Ability to Deter Russia Has Taken a Hit with
Trans-Atlantic Infighting
Asharq Al Awsat/February 01/2026
European allies and Canada are pouring billions of dollars into helping Ukraine,
and they have pledged to massively boost their budgets to defend their
territories. But despite those efforts, NATO’s credibility as a unified force
under US leadership has taken a huge hit over the past year as trust within the
32-nation military organization dissolved. The rift has been most glaring over
U.S. President Donald Trump's repeated threats to seize Greenland, a
semiautonomous territory of NATO ally Denmark. More recently, Trump's
disparaging remarks about his NATO allies' troops in Afghanistan drew another
outcry. While the heat on Greenland has subsided for now, the infighting has
seriously undercut the ability of the world’s biggest security alliance to deter
adversaries, analysts say. “The episode matters because it crossed a line that
cannot be uncrossed,” Sophia Besch from the Carnegie Europe think tank said in a
report on the Greenland crisis. “Even without force or sanctions, that breach
weakens the alliance in a lasting way.”The tensions haven’t gone unnoticed in
Russia, NATO’s biggest threat. Any deterrence of Russia relies on ensuring that
President Vladimir Putin is convinced that NATO will retaliate should he expand
his war beyond Ukraine. Right now, that does not seem to be the case. “It’s a
major upheaval for Europe, and we are watching it,” Russian Foreign Minister
Sergey Lavrov noted last week.
Filling up the bucket
Criticized by US leaders for decades over low defense spending, and lashed
relentlessly under Trump, European allies and Canada agreed in July to
significantly up their game and start investing 5% of their gross domestic
product on defense. The pledge was aimed at taking the whip out of Trump's hand.
The allies would spend as much of their economic output on core defense as the
United States — around 3.5% of GDP — by 2035, plus a further 1.5% on
security-related projects like upgrading bridges, air and seaports. NATO
Secretary-General Mark Rutte has hailed those pledges as a sign of NATO’s robust
health and military might. He recently said that “fundamentally thanks to Donald
J. Trump, NATO is stronger than it ever was.”Though a big part of his job is to
ensure that Trump does not pull the US out of NATO, as Trump has occasionally
threatened, his flattery of the American leader has sometimes raised concern.
Rutte has pointedly refused to speak about the rift over Greenland.
Article 5 at stake
The North Atlantic Treaty Organization was formed in 1949 to counter the
security threat posed by the Soviet Union during the Cold War, and its
deterrence is underpinned by a strong American troop presence in Europe. The
alliance is built on the political pledge that an attack on one ally must be met
with a response from them all — the collective security guarantee enshrined in
Article 5 of its rule book. It hinges on the belief that the territories of all
32 allies must remain inviolate. Trump’s designs on Greenland attack that very
principle, even though Article 5 does not apply in internal disputes because it
can only be triggered unanimously. “Instead of strengthening our alliances,
threats against Greenland and NATO are undermining America’s own interests,” two
US senators, Democrat Jeanne Shaheen and Republican Lisa Murkowski, wrote in a
New York Times op-ed. “Suggestions that the United States would seize or coerce
allies to sell territory do not project strength. They signal unpredictability,
weaken deterrence and hand our adversaries exactly what they want: proof that
democratic alliances are fragile and unreliable,” they said. Even before Trump
escalated his threats to seize control of Greenland, his European allies were
never entirely convinced that he would defend them should they come under
attack. Trump has said that he doesn’t believe the allies would help him either,
and he recently drew more anger when he questioned the role of European and
Canadian troops who fought and died alongside Americans in Afghanistan. The
president later partially reversed his remarks. In testimony to the Senate
Foreign Relations Committee, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio dismissed
criticism that Trump has undermined the alliance. “The stronger our partners are
in NATO, the more flexibility the United States will have to secure our
interests in different parts of the world,” he said. “That’s not an abandonment
of NATO. That is a reality of the 21st century and a world that’s changing now.”
A Russia not easily deterred
Despite NATO’s talk of increased spending, Moscow seems undeterred. The EU's
foreign policy chief, Kaja Kallas, said this week that “it has become painfully
clear that Russia will remain a major security threat for the long term.”“We are
fending off cyberattacks, sabotage against critical infrastructure, foreign
interference and information manipulation, military intimidation, territorial
threats and political meddling,” she said Wednesday. Officials across Europe
have reported acts of sabotage and mysterious drone flights over airports and
military bases. Identifying the culprits is difficult, and Russia denies
responsibility.
In a year-end address, Rutte warned that Europe is at imminent risk. “Russia has
brought war back to Europe, and we must be prepared for the scale of war our
grandparents or great-grandparents endured,” he said. Meanwhile in Russia,
Lavrov said the dispute over Greenland heralded a “deep crisis” for NATO. “It
was hard to imagine before that such a thing could happen,” Lavrov told
reporters, as he contemplated the possibility that “one NATO member is going to
attack another NATO member.”Russian state media mocked Europe's “impotent rage”
over Trump's designs on Greenland, and Putin's presidential envoy declared that
“trans-Atlantic unity is over.”
Doubt about US troops
US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth is due to meet with his counterparts at NATO
on Feb. 12. A year ago, he startled the allies by warning that America’s
security priorities lie elsewhere and that Europe must look after itself now.
Security in the Arctic region, where Greenland lies, will be high on the agenda.
It’s unclear whether Hegseth will announce a new drawdown of US troops in
Europe, who are central to NATO’s deterrence. Lack of clarity about this has
also fueled doubt about the US commitment to its allies. In October, NATO
learned that up to 1,500 American troops would be withdrawn from an area
bordering Ukraine, angering ally Romania. A report from the European Union
Institute for Security Studies warned last week that although US troops are
unlikely to vanish overnight, doubts about US commitment to European security
means “the deterrence edifice becomes shakier.”“Europe is being forced to
confront a harsher reality,” wrote the authors, Veronica Anghel and Giuseppe
Spatafora. “Adversaries start believing they can probe, sabotage and escalate
without triggering a unified response.”
Israel to Terminate MSF Work in Gaza for Failing to Provide
Palestinian Staff List
Asharq Al Awsat/February 01/2026
Israel said Sunday it was terminating the humanitarian operations of the
international charity Doctors Without Borders in Gaza after the organization
failed to provide a list of its Palestinian staff. "The Ministry of Diaspora
Affairs and Combating Antisemitism is moving to terminate the activities of
Medecins Sans Frontieres (MSF) in the Gaza Strip," the ministry said. The
decision follows "MSF's failure to submit lists of local employees, a
requirement applicable to all humanitarian organizations operating in the
region", it added, stating that the group will cease its work and leave Gaza by
February 28. In December, the ministry announced it would prevent 37 aid
organizations, including MSF, from operating in Gaza from March 1 for failing to
provide detailed information about their Palestinian staff. It had alleged that
two MSF employees had links with Palestinian armed groups Hamas and Islamic
Jihad, which the medical charity vehemently denies. On Sunday, the ministry said
MSF had committed in early January that it would share the staff list as
required by the Israeli authorities. "Despite its public commitment, the
organization refrained from transferring the lists," the ministry said.
"Subsequently, MSF announced it does not intend to proceed with the registration
process at all, contradicting its previous statements and the binding protocol.
"In accordance with the regulations, MSF will cease its operations and depart
the Gaza Strip by February 28, 2026," the ministry added. In a statement posted
on its website on Friday, MSF acknowledged that it had, as an "exceptional
measure", agreed to share a list of names of its Palestinian and international
staff with the Israeli authorities. "However, despite repeated efforts, it
became evident that we were unable to build engagement with Israeli authorities
on the concrete assurances required," the charity said. "These included that any
staff information would be used only for its stated administrative purpose and
would not be colleagues at risk." MSF said it had not received assurances on
these fronts, so "concluded that we will not share staff information in the
current circumstances".
Israel Says Partially Reopening Gaza’s Rafah Crossing
Asharq Al Awsat/Asharq Al Awsat/February 01/2026
Israel partially reopened the Rafah crossing between the devastated Gaza Strip
and Egypt on Sunday, following months of appeals from aid groups, though access
is limited to pedestrians. COGAT, the Israeli defense ministry body coordinating
Palestinian civilian affairs, made no mention of allowing in a long hoped-for
surge of aid, and clarified that the passage of individuals through the gateway
in both directions was expected to begin Monday. Rafah is considered a key entry
point for supplies into the devastated Palestinian territory, where humanitarian
conditions remain dire after two years of war in spite of a ceasefire in place
since October 10. The crossing has been closed since Israeli forces seized
control of it in May 2024 during the war with Hamas, aside from a brief and
limited reopening in early 2025. COGAT said on Sunday that the "Rafah Crossing
was opened today for the limited passage of residents only", but later added
that the "movement of residents in both directions, entry and exit to and from
Gaza, is expected to begin tomorrow". An official at Gaza's health ministry,
which operates under Hamas authority, said that about 200 patients were waiting
to be permitted to leave the territory once the crossing opened. AFP footage
showed a queue of ambulances entering the crossing from the Egyptian side,
though sources said none had been allowed into Gaza yet. "The opening of Rafah
opens a small door of hope for patients, students and people in Gaza," Amin Al-Hilu,
53, who lives in a tent in the territory's Al-Shati camp, told AFP. "We need the
crossing to fully open for travel and bringing in goods without Israeli
restrictions, and this I think will require major pressure on Israel."
No displacement of Gazans -
A Palestinian official told AFP on condition of anonymity that a group of
"around 40 Palestinians affiliated with the Palestinian Authority has arrived on
the Egyptian side of the crossing" and was also waiting to be allowed in.
Egypt's state-linked Cairo News reported that the Egyptian side of the crossing
would remain open "round the clock" and that Egyptian hospitals were prepared to
receive patients coming from Gaza. The leaders of Egypt and Jordan meanwhile
renewed their rejection of any attempts to displace Palestinians from Gaza.
During a meeting in Cairo, Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi and Jordan's
King Abdullah II "renewed their affirmation of Egypt and Jordan's firm stance
rejecting any attempts to displace the Palestinian people from their land",
according to a statement from the Egyptian presidency. The two also called for
"unrestricted humanitarian aid access to the Gaza Strip". Israel had previously
said it would not reopen the crossing until the body of Ran Gvili -- the last
Israeli hostage held in Gaza -- was returned. His remains were recovered days
ago and he was laid to rest in Israel on Wednesday, with COGAT announcing the
reopening two days later. COGAT described Sunday's reopening as "an initial
pilot phase", coordinated with the European Union, adding the parties were
carrying out "preliminary preparations aimed at increasing readiness for full
operation of the crossing". Adam Awad, 19, was among those waiting to travel
through the Rafah crossing, hoping to join a civil engineering program at a
university in Türkiye. "My generation and I deserve a chance at life and to
build a future," he said. "We are still living in fear and anxiety, without
shelter, water or electricity."
Deadly violence -
Located on Gaza's southern border with Egypt, Rafah is the only crossing into
and out of the territory that does not pass through Israel. It lies in an area
held by Israeli forces following their withdrawal behind the so-called "Yellow
Line" under the terms of the US-brokered ceasefire. Israeli troops still control
more than half of Gaza, while the rest remains under Hamas authority. "We call
on the mediators and guarantor states of the (ceasefire) agreement to monitor
the occupation's behavior at the Rafah crossing to prevent Gaza from facing a
new Israeli siege," Hamas spokesman Hazem Qassem said in a statement. The
reopening is expected to facilitate the entry of a 15-member Palestinian
technocratic body, the National Committee for the Administration of Gaza (NCAG),
established under the ceasefire agreement to oversee the territory's day-to-day
governance. However, the NCAG, headed by former Palestinian Authority deputy
minister Ali Shaath, was not expected to enter on Sunday, a member of the
committee said. Deadly violence preceded the reopening of Rafah crossing, with
the civil defense agency in Gaza reporting at least 32 people killed in Israeli
attacks on Saturday.
The military said it struck in retaliation for ceasefire violations when eight
fighters emerged out of tunnel in Rafah on Friday.
Gaza’s Rafah crossing set to reopen under Israeli, EU and
Egyptian coordination
The Arab Weekly/February 01/2026
Gaza’s main border crossing in Rafah will reopen for Palestinians on Monday,
Israel said, with preparations underway at the war-ravaged enclave’s main
gateway that has been largely shut for almost two years. Before the war, the
Rafah border crossing with Egypt was the only direct exit point for most Gazans
to reach the outside world as well as a key entry point for aid into the
territory. It has been largely shut since May 2024 and under Israeli military
control on the Gazan side. COGAT, the Israeli military unit that oversees
humanitarian coordination, said the crossing will reopen in both directions for
Gaza residents on foot only and its operation will be coordinated with Egypt and
the European Union. “Today, a pilot is underway to test and assess the operation
of the crossing. The movement of residents in both directions, entry and exit to
and from Gaza, is expected to begin tomorrow,” COGAT said in a statement.
A Palestinian official and a European source close to the EU mission confirmed
the details. The Egyptian foreign ministry did not immediately respond to a
request for comment. Israel has said the crossing would open under stringent
security checks only for Palestinians who wish to leave the war-ravaged enclave
and for those who fled the fighting in the first months of the war to return.
Many of those expected to leave are sick and wounded Gazans in need of medical
care abroad. The Palestinian health ministry has said that there are 20,000
patients waiting to leave Gaza.
An Israeli defence official said that the crossing can hold between 150-200
people altogether in both directions. There will be more people leaving than
returning because patients leave together with escorts, the official added. Two
Egyptian officials said that at least 50 Palestinian patients will be processed
on Sunday to cross Rafah into Egypt for treatment. In the first few days around
200 people, patients and their family members, will cross daily into Egypt, the
officials said, with 50 people returning to Gaza per day. Lists of Gazans set to
pass through the crossing have been submitted by Egypt and approved by Israel,
the official said. Reopening the border crossing was a key requirement of the
first phase of US President Donald Trump’s plan to end the Israel-Hamas war. But
the ceasefire, which came into effect in October after two years of fighting,
has been repeatedly shaken by rounds of violence.
Israeli attacks in Gaza have killed more than 500 Palestinians since the
ceasefire, local health officials say, and Palestinian militants have killed
four Israeli troops, according to Israeli authorities. On Saturday, Israel
launched some of its most intense airstrikes since the ceasefire, killing at
least 30 people, in what it said was a response to a Hamas violation of the
truce on Friday when militants emerged from a tunnel in Rafah.The next phases of
Trump’s plan for Gaza foresee governance being handed to Palestinian
technocrats, Hamas laying down its weapons and Israeli troops withdrawing from
the territory while an international force keeps the peace and Gaza is
rebuilt.Hamas has so far rejected disarmament and Israel has repeatedly
indicated that if the Islamist militant group is not disarmed peacefully, it
will use force to make it do so.
Jordanian king, Egyptian president discuss Gaza in Cairo meeting
Arab News/February 01, 2026
LONDON: King Abdullah II of Jordan and Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi
emphasized the importance of implementing the ceasefire agreement for the Gaza
Strip during their meeting at Al-Ittihadiya Palace in Cairo. The meeting
stressed the need to enhance joint Arab efforts to restore stability in the
region, including the Palestinian coastal enclave of Gaza, according to the
Jordan News Agency. The two leaders emphasized the need to fully implement the
Gaza ceasefire, allow unhindered humanitarian aid, and accelerate recovery
efforts in the territory. Jordan and Egypt also firmly rejected any attempts to
displace Palestinians from the West Bank and condemned all violations and
arbitrary actions against them. King Abdullah cautioned against the repeated
attacks on holy sites in Jerusalem, both Muslim and Christian, which have
reportedly been perpetrated by Israeli authorities or settlers.The parties
emphasized the importance of de-escalation and the peaceful resolution of
regional crises while respecting national sovereignty, unity, and territorial
integrity. Jordan’s Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi,
along with Director of the Office of His Majesty Alaa Batayneh, also attended
the meeting. Israel announced on Sunday the limited reopening of the Rafah
crossing between Gaza and Egypt. The crossing, which is considered a vital
gateway for both civilians and aid, had remained closed since Israeli forces
seized control of it in May 2024 during the conflict in Gaza, aside from a brief
reopening in early 2025.
Besieged by Gang Violence, Palestinian Citizens in Israel Demand More Security
Asharq Al Awsat/February 01/2026
Nabil Safiya had taken a break from studying for a biology exam to meet a cousin
at a pizza parlor when a gunman on a motorcycle rode past and fired, killing the
15-year-old as he sat in a black Renault.The shooting — which police later said
was a case of mistaken identity — stunned his hometown of Kafr Yasif, long
besieged, like many Palestinian towns in Israel, by a wave of gang violence and
family feuds. “There is no set time for the gunfire anymore,” said Nabil’s
father, Ashraf Safiya. “They can kill you in school, they can kill you in the
street, they can kill you in the football stadium.”The violence plaguing
Israel’s Arab minority has become an inescapable part of daily life. Activists
have long accused authorities of failing to address the issue and say that sense
has deepened under Israel's current far-right government, The Associated Press
said. One out of every five citizens in Israel is Palestinian. The rate of
crime-related killings among them is more than 22 times higher than that for
Jewish Israelis, while arrest and indictment rates for those crimes are far
lower. Critics cite the disparities as evidence of entrenched discrimination and
neglect. A growing number of demonstrations are sweeping Israel. Thousands
marched in Tel Aviv late Saturday to demand action, while Arab communities have
gone on strike, closing shops and schools. In November, after Nabil was gunned
down, residents marched through the streets, students boycotted their classes
and the Safiya family turned their home into a shrine with pictures and posters
of Nabil. The outrage had as much to do with what happened as with how often it
keeps happening. “There’s a law for the Jewish society and a different law for
Palestinian society,” Ghassan Munayyer, a political activist from Lod, a mixed
city with a large Palestinian population, said at a recent protest.
An epidemic of violence
Some Palestinian citizens have reached the highest echelons of business and
politics in Israel. Yet many feel forsaken by authorities, with their
communities marked by underinvestment and high unemployment that fuels
frustration and distrust toward the state. Nabil was one of a record 252
Palestinian citizens to be killed in Israel last year, according to data from
Abraham Initiatives, an Israeli nongovernmental organization that promotes
coexistence and safer communities. The toll continues to climb, with at least 26
additional crime-related killings in January. Walid Haddad, a criminologist who
teaches at Ono Academic College and who previously worked in Israel’s national
security ministry, said that organized crime thrives off weapons trafficking and
loan‑sharking in places where people lack access to credit. Gangs also extort
residents and business owners for “protection,” he said. Based on interviews
with gang members in prisons and courts, he said they can earn anywhere from
thousands to hundreds of thousands of dollars, depending on whether the job is
torching cars, shooting at buildings or assassinating rival leaders. "If they
fire at homes or people once or twice a month, they can buy cars, go on trips.
It’s easy money,” Haddad said, noting a widespread sense of impunity. The
violence has stifled the rhythm of life in many Palestinian communities. In Kafr
Yasif, a northern Israel town of 10,000, streets empty by nightfall, and it’s
not uncommon for those trying to sleep to hear gunshots ringing through their
neighborhoods.
Prosecutions lag
Last year, only 8% of killings of Palestinian citizens led to charges filed
against suspects, compared with 55% in Jewish communities, according to Abraham
Initiatives. Lama Yassin, the Abraham Initiatives’ director of shared cities and
regions, said strained relations with police long discouraged Palestinian
citizens from calling for new police stations or more police officers in their
communities. Not anymore. “In recent years, because people are so depressed and
feel like they’re not able to practice day-to-day life ... Arabs are saying, ‘Do
whatever it takes, even if it means more police in our towns,’” Yassin said.
The killings have become a rallying cry for Palestinian-led political parties
after successive governments pledged to curb the bloodshed with little results.
Politicians and activists see the spate of violence as a reflection of selective
enforcement and police apathy. "We’ve been talking about this for 10 years,"
said Knesset member Aida Touma-Suleiman. She labeled policing in Palestinian
communities “collective punishment,” noting that when Jews are victims of
violence, police often set up roadblocks in neighboring Palestinian towns, flood
areas with officers and arrest suspects en masse. “The only side that can be
able to smash a mafia is the state and the state is doing nothing except letting
(organized crime) understand that they are free to do whatever they want,” Touma-Suleiman
said. Many communities feel impunity has gotten worse, she added, under National
Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir, who with authority over the police has
launched aggressive and visible campaigns against other crimes, targeting
protests and pushing for tougher operations in east Jerusalem and the occupied
West Bank. Israeli police reject allegations of skewed priorities, saying that
killings in these communities are a top priority. Police also have said
investigations are challenging because witnesses don’t always cooperate.
“Investigative decisions are guided by evidence, operational considerations, and
due process, not by indifference or lack of prioritization,” police said in a
statement.
Unanswered demands
In Kafr Yasif, Ashraf Safiya vowed his son wouldn’t become just another
statistic. He had just gotten home from his work as a dentist and off the phone
with Nabil when he learned about the shooting. He raced to the scene to find the
car window shattered as Nabil was being rushed to the hospital. Doctors there
pronounced him dead. “The idea was that the blood of this boy would not be
wasted,” Safiya said of protests he helped organize. “If people stop caring
about these cases, we’re going to just have another case and another
case.”Authorities said last month they were preparing to file an indictment
against a 23-year-old arrested in a neighboring town in connection with the
shooting. They said the intended target was a relative, referring to the cousin
with Nabil that night. And they described Nabil as a victim of what they called
"blood feuds within Arab society.”At a late January demonstration in Kafr Yasif,
marchers carried portraits of Nabil and Nidal Mosaedah, another local boy killed
in the violence. Police broke up the protest, saying it lasted longer than
authorized, and arrested its leaders, including the former head of the town
council.
The show of force, residents said, may have quashed one protest, but did nothing
to halt the killings.
US drops Iraq envoy as Washington steps up pressure on
Iran-backed forces
The Arab Weekly/February 01/2026
Mark Savaya, named by US President Donald Trump as special envoy for Iraq in
October, is no longer in that role, sources familiar with the move said. The
move comes amid growing tensions between Washington and Baghdad over
Washington’s push to curb Iranian influence in Iraqi politics.
Savaya, a Christian Iraqi-American entrepreneur, was among a handful of Arab
Americans named to senior posts by Trump, who campaigned heavily during the 2024
presidential election to win the Arab and Muslim vote in Detroit and around the
country. It was not immediately clear what prompted Savaya’s departure or
whether a replacement would be appointed.One of the sources pointed to Savaya’s
“mishandling” of key situations, including his failure to prevent the nomination
of former Iraqi prime minister Nouri al-Maliki to be the country’s next premier,
a move Trump openly warned Baghdad against. US ambassador to Turkey and special
envoy to Syria Tom Barrack, who travelled to Erbil earlier this week to meet
with Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces, is believed to be taking over the
State Department’s Iraq portfolio, according to the source and a senior Iraqi
official.
A spokesperson for Barrack declined to comment. The State Department referred
queries to the White House, which declined to comment on Savaya’s status or any
replacement.Reached on Thursday, Savaya denied any change in his role, saying
that he was still working on administrative procedures required for him to
officially assume the role, but a source familiar with the matter said Savaya
never became an employee of the State Department. Savaya’s X account, which was
active until recently, has not been available since Thursday. He did not respond
to follow-up messages on Friday and Saturday asking him to clarify whether he
was still in his appointed role and explain why his X account was taken down.
Savaya, who ran a cannabis business in Detroit and has close ties to Trump, was
a surprising choice for envoy because he has no diplomatic experience. He has
not traveled to Iraq officially since being named to the role, two of the
sources said.He was set to visit Iraq and hold meetings with senior officials
last Friday, but abruptly cancelled them, two Iraqi officials said.The personnel
move comes days after Trump warned Iraq that if it again chose Maliki as its
prime minister, Washington would no longer help the major oil producer and close
US ally. Maliki, accused by the US of stoking sectarian strife and allowing the
rise of the Islamic State during his time in office, had been tapped for the
role by Iraq’s largest parliamentary bloc days earlier.Trump’s comments were the
starkest example yet of his campaign to curb the influence of Iran-linked groups
in Iraq, which has long walked a tightrope between its two closest allies,
Washington and Tehran.Divided Iraqis struggle to find balance over Maliki
nomination, risk of Iran war Supporters of former Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki
protest what they say is US interference in Iraq’s sovereignty near the US
embassy, in Baghdad, Iraq, on January 29, 2026;
Iraq Parliament Delays Presidential Vote Again
Asharq Al Awsat/February 01/2026
Iraq's parliament has again postponed the election of the country's new
president, state media reported on Sunday, amid intense political horse-trading
and US pressure over the new prime minister. It was the second time parliament
has delayed the presidential vote, which had first been due last week. An AFP
correspondent in the parliament said the required quorum was not reached on
Sunday. The vote was therefore delayed, according to the official INA press
agency, which did not say whether a new date had been agreed. The parliament's
media office said the speaker will now meet the heads of party blocs to set a
final date. By convention, a Shiite Muslim holds the powerful post of prime
minister, the parliament speaker is a Sunni and the largely ceremonial
presidency goes to a Kurd. The two main Kurdish parties have yet to settle on a
presidential candidate, and the largest Shiite alliance -- despite backing Nouri
al-Maliki for next premier -- faces US threats to end all support for Iraq if he
takes up the post. In Iraq, a country with chronically volatile politics driven
by internal disputes and foreign pressure mostly from the United States and
Iran, key decisions are often delayed beyond constitutional deadlines. On
Saturday, the Coordination Framework, an alliance of Shiite groups with varying
degrees of links to Iran that has emerged as the main ruling coalition, said it
"reiterates its support for its nominee", Maliki. On Tuesday, US President
Donald Trump declared Maliki a "very bad choice", and said that if Maliki was
elected Washington "will no longer help Iraq".Iraq's only two-term prime
minister fell out with the United States during his premiership between 2006 and
2014 over growing ties with Iran.Sources close to the Coordination Framework
said that Shiite leaders are divided, with some wanting Maliki to stand aside,
fearing US sanctions if he returns to office. On the presidential front, Kurdish
parties have yet to agree on a candidate, who must be endorsed by other blocs
and win a two-thirds majority in parliament. The presidency is usually held by
the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK). This year, the rival Kurdistan
Democratic Party (KDP) named its own candidate, Foreign Minister Fuad Hussein.
Al-Sharaa and Kurdish leader Barzani discuss implementing
SDF ceasefire agreement
Arab News/February 01, 2026
LONDON: President of the Syrian Arab Republic Ahmad Al-Sharaa and Kurdistan
Democratic Party leader Masoud Barzani discussed recent developments in Syria
during a phone call. Al-Sharaa reiterated the Syrian state’s commitment to the
national, political, and civil rights of the Kurds, emphasizing that all Syrians
are equal before the law and enjoy equal rights, according to the Syrian Arab
News Agency. Barzani praised the comprehensive agreement between the Syrian
government and the Syrian Democratic Forces and emphasized the need to implement
it to ensure Syria’s unity and stability.
Both leaders highlighted the importance of cooperation to support the
agreement’s implementation and promote stability in Syria and the region, the
SANA added. On Friday, the Syrian government and the Kurdish-led SDF agreed to
a comprehensive ceasefire and a phased integration of military and
administrative bodies into the Syrian state under a broad deal, following weeks
of armed clashes.
Syria Kurds impose curfew in northeast cities before govt
deal begins
AFP/February 01, 2026
QAMISHLI, Syria: Syrian Kurdish security forces on Sunday announced a curfew
early next week in two cities in the country’s northeast, ahead of the
implementation of a recent deal struck with the Islamist-led government in
Damascus. Damascus and Kurdish forces reached a comprehensive agreement on
Friday to gradually integrate the Kurds’ military and civilian institutions into
the state, after the Kurds ceded territory to advancing government forces in
recent weeks. Mazloum Abdi, head of the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces,
has said the deal would be implemented on the ground from Monday, with both
sides to pull forces back from frontline positions in parts of the northeast,
and from the town of Kobani in the north. He said a “limited internal security
force” would enter parts of Hasakah and Qamishli but that “no military forces
will enter any Kurdish city or town.” Kurdish security forces announced a curfew
in the northeastern city of Hasakah from 6:00 am (0300 GMT) to 6:00 p.m. on
Monday, and in the northeast’s main Kurdish city of Qamishli on Tuesday, during
the same hours. It said the move was “to maintain security, stability and the
safety of residents.”A source from the Kurds’ security forces said a government
security delegation visited its headquarters in Qamishli on Sunday.The text of
Friday’s deal maintains an ongoing ceasefire and introduces a “gradual
integration” of the Kurdish forces and administrative institutions. It appeared
to include some of the Kurds’ demands, such as establishing brigades of fighters
from the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) in Kurdish-majority areas.
The government’s push to extend its authority across the country was a blow to
the Kurds. They had sought to preserve the de facto autonomy they exercised
after seizing swathes of north and northeast Syria in battles against the Daesh
terrorist group during Syria’s civil war, backed by a US-led coalition.
Protects us’
In Qamishli on Sunday, thousands of Kurdish men, women and children filled the
streets in a show of solidarity, waving Kurdish flags and holding up pictures of
fighters who were killed, an AFP correspondent said. Student Barine Hamza, 18,
said “we have come out for Kurdish unity.”“We are afraid of being betrayed
because we do not trust this government,” she said. Housewife Nourshana
Mohammed, 40, said that “the presence of the SDF is important for us. It
protects us Kurds and saved us” from IS. Information Minister Hamza Mustafa told
state media on Friday that the agreement included the handover of some oil
fields, the Qamishli airport and border crossings to the government within 10
days. He said SDF fighters would be integrated on an individual basis into
several brigades being formed under the army’s command. The United States, which
has drawn close to Syria’s new Islamist authorities, recently said the purpose
of its alliance with the Kurdish forces was largely over.Also on Sunday, the
head of internal security in Aleppo province, Mohammed Abdul Ghani, told
reporters he met with Kurdish forces in Kobani to discuss security matters there
“and begin the deployment of interior ministry forces,” without announcing a
timeframe. He said technical details still needed to be settled, but that the
response from the Kurdish side was “positive.”Located in Aleppo province more
than 200 kilometers (125 miles) from other Kurdish-held areas in Syria’s
northeast, Kobani is hemmed in by the Turkish border to the north and Syrian
government forces on other sides. Kurdish forces liberated Kobani from a lengthy
siege by IS in 2015 and it took on symbolic value as their first major victory
against the jihadists. On Saturday, NGOs and a Turkish MP said Turkish
authorities had blocked a convoy carrying aid to Kobani from across the border.
Kurdistan Region Seeks Retroactive Compensation for Crimes
Committed Under Saddam Hussein
Erbil: Hisham Elmayany/Asharq Al Awsat/February 01/2026
The Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) has renewed a retroactive demand for
compensation from Iraq’s federal government for crimes committed by the regime
of the late president Saddam Hussein against the Kurds.The move is widely seen
as a calculated bid for leverage as calls grow to scrutinize the region’s
revenues and governance. In a statement issued on Thursday, the KRG said it is
seeking $384.6 billion in compensation for the people of the Kurdistan Region
for damages resulting from “crimes committed by the Iraqi regime between 1963
and 2003”, the period of Baath Party rule from its coup against the government
of Abdul Karim Qasim until the US-led invasion that toppled it. The claim is not
unprecedented. Erbil made the same demand in 2013, according to a statement
issued at the time by the KRG’s Ministry of Martyrs and Anfal Affairs.
Why now?
Explaining the timing, Jotiar Adil, head of the KRG’s Department of Media and
Information, told Asharq Al-Awsat that “Erbil did not choose the timing; it was
imposed by the painful paradox in Baghdad’s dealings with the
region.”Constitutional rights, he said, “do not lapse with time,” adding that
reopening the compensation file is meant to remind partners in Baghdad that the
people of Kurdistan are owed billions of dollars for widespread destruction and
genocide. Adil argued that subjecting the region to “microscopic scrutiny” over
oil and non-oil revenues while ignoring the destruction of 4,500 villages—wiped
out during the 1988 military campaign internationally recognized as genocide—was
illogical.“The timing carries a message,” he said. “Before you cut our people’s
livelihoods today, remember your historical debts to them.” He rejected
suggestions that the move was political maneuvering, describing it instead as “a
legal rights case aimed at justice, not at paralyzing Baghdad.”
A dispute over resources
Baghdad has insisted on implementing agreements governing oil revenues and
border crossings before releasing the region’s financial entitlements. Technical
disputes are often entangled with political negotiations over forming federal
governments. Iraq’s constitution provides for joint management of oil and gas,
equitable revenue distribution based on population, and temporary allocations
for areas damaged by past conflicts. For years, the Kurdistan Region exported
oil via Türkiye’s Ceyhan port without Baghdad’s approval. Exports were halted in
2023 following an international arbitration ruling requiring sales to be
conducted through the state oil marketer, SOMO, exacerbating tensions. Although
an agreement was reached in 2025 on handing over the region’s oil, it has yet to
be implemented. Baghdad later cut public-sector salaries in the Kurdistan Region
as leverage, a move Erbil condemned as a violation of citizens’ rights. Adil
said the compensation figure was based on international standards similar to
those used by the UN Compensation Commission in assessing damages to Kuwait
after Iraq’s 1990 invasion, factoring in cumulative harm and present value. He
noted that post-2003 governments honored Saddam-era obligations abroad — paying
compensation to Kuwait and settling Paris Club debts — while rejecting
comparable responsibility toward victims at home.
The ‘Vision’ That the Unaware Have Not Understood
Yousef Al-Dayni/Asharq Al Awsat/February 01/2026
Saudi Vision 2030 is not an executive program that can be reduced to particular
projects or deadlines, nor achievements assessed through the logic
inaugurations, closures, and delays. Profoundly, this Vision is an
intellectual–cultural project that has rearranged the relationship of Saudi
individuals with themselves, between society and meaning, of and the state and
its role. Examining it from outside this framework does this Vision a double
injustice: first, by confining it to the compartmental and the fleeting; second,
by overlooking its structural impact on consciousness and behavior.
The Vision has reformulated the central questions. “What do we advance?" to “Who
are we? And what can we create?” This shift in the center of gravity, and it is
the nucleus of any genuine renaissance. States do not change through decisions
alone; changing the minds that receive the decisions is equally crucial. The
Vision worked, with deep awareness, precisely at this level: the level of the
Saudi mindset, in language, behavior, and self-representation.
The language of Saudis has changed, and this is not a superficial matter.
Language is both the mirror of consciousness and its instrument.
Competitiveness, added value, innovation, sustainability, impact, and leadership
are no longer merely institutional buzzwords; they have entered everyday
language. When language changes, cerebral maps change. Success is no longer
defined as a professional position or a social privilege, becoming defined by
the ability to add value and transform knowledge into action. This linguistic
shift is among the most profound and consequential effects of the Vision,
because it generates new behavior organically.
This transformation is more apparent in education. Reforming curricula was not
an end in itself, but a gateway for redefining students. Introducing philosophy
and critical thinking, linking education to the labor market and scientific
research, and broadening options all reflect a vision that sees students as
active producers of knowledge rather than passive recipients. School is no
longer a place for drilling certainties; it has become a space for unpacking
questions and building skills. From this prism, one can understand the growing
scientific competition among male and female students not as a celebration but
as the logical outcome of the new educational environment. When students from
various regions of the Kingdom win scientific awards in medicine, mathematics,
energy, physics, and the environment, the prize ceases to be the point itself;
excellence becomes commonplace. Excellence, here, is no longer an exception to
be celebrated once but an endless path. This is the difference between a society
that produces stars and a society that builds the foundations of excellence. The
Vision worked from bottom-up. Economically, figures cannot be read without their
philosophical context. Diversification, empowering the private sector,
recalibrating priorities, and regulating markets are not merely an accounting
exercise. They are a manifestation of a conception that sees the economy as a
tool for building capacities, not subordinating the people to the economy.
The Vision does not seek abstract quantitative growth but meaningful growth that
is reflected in quality of life and in society’s capacity to adapt and produce.
For this reason, review and reassessment are not signs of confusion, but part of
a state mindset that knows efficiency to be the highest political and economic
value in an age of major transformations. On the cultural and social level,
Vision 2030 has reconsidered the question of identity, not as a conflict but as
a calm reclamation. Identity, here, is neither a slogan nor a form of closure;
it is a dynamic interaction between history and the future. Celebrating
heritage, language, the arts, and regional diversity is no longer an exercise in
nostalgia, but of a new awareness that sees plurality as a national treasure.
This resurging identity does not entail exclusion and requires no ideological
brackets, because it is tied to a clear national project in which the state is
the unifying framework and the highest meaning.Politically, this internal
transformation has been reflected in a more confident and balanced international
presence. A state that rebuilds the mind of its society, invests in knowledge,
and manages its identity well inevitably becomes more capable, not because it
seeks a role, but because a role takes shape when material and symbolic sources
of power accumulate together. This is the Vision 2030 that many overlook. It is
not a story of projects, but a story of human beings. It is a vision that has
redefined the relationship between knowledge and responsibility, between
ambition and identity, and between the individual and the homeland. The changes
in language, behavior, and expectations we are currently seeing are not side
effects; they are the deepest achievements. Major transformations do not begin
from the without but from within: from a mind that dares to redefine itself, and
from a society that has decided to shape its era, not merely bear witness to it.
The Latest English LCCC
analysis & editorials from miscellaneous sources published on January 31/February
01/2026
Is
Trump Being Bamboozled?: Islamic State Terrorists Threaten Comeback Thanks to
His Support for Syria's Islamist Leader
Con Coughlin/February 01/2026
https://eliasbejjaninews.com/2026/02/151715/
Trump's attempts to improve ties with both Turkey and Saudi Arabia brought about
the US lending its endorsement to al-Sharaa's Islamist regime in Damascus. The
result is that al-Sharaa has now set about, at the very least, failing to
prevent (here, here and here) wholesale attempts, apparently by his own
government's security forces, to slaughter Syria's religious and ethnic
minorities: Druze, Alawites and Kurds, including America's presumed allies, the
Kurdish Syrian Democratic Forces Army (SDF), who courageously defeated Syria's
Islamic State terrorists.
Syria's Christians may well be the al-Sharaa government's next target.
Trump's willingness to give his backing to al-Sharaa
is said to be the result of his attempts to deepen ties with Middle East states
such as Qatar, Turkey and Saudi Arabia which, for different reasons, appear keen
to see an Islamist government in power in Damascus -- as elsewhere. For Qatar
and Turkey, supporting al-Sharaa fits in with their long-established policy of
backing radical Islamist groups, such as the Muslim Brotherhood, while the
Saudis' backing for the new Syrian regime is based on their desire to prevent
Iran's ayatollahs from re-establishing a foothold in a country, Syria, that was
once Tehran's closest regional ally.
If the US ever does pull its troops from Syria, the vacuum will most assuredly
be filled instantly by Turkey and other Jihadists, as well as by Russia again
and possibly China.The US president could find himself facing an extremely
difficult predicament, especially during midterm elections, if, as a result of
his support for Syria's Islamist leader, more Americans and others are killed or
suffer serious injury at the hands of al-Sharaa's government, IS terrorists who
have escaped from Syrian prisons, as well as al-Sharaa's apparent commitment to
ethnically cleanse, then Islamise, Syria.
US President Donald Trump's campaign to prevent Islamic State (IS) terrorists
from staging a comeback is in serious danger of being undermined because of his
support for Syria's Islamist "interim" president, Ahmed al-Sharaa. Pictured:
Trump hosts al-Sharaa at the White House on November 10, 2025. (Image source:
Donald Trump/Truth Social/Wikimedia Commons)
US President Donald Trump's campaign to prevent Islamic State (IS) terrorists
from staging a comeback is in serious danger of being undermined because of his
support for Syria's Islamist "interim" president, Ahmed al-Sharaa.
It was not that long ago that al-Sharaa had a $10
million bounty on his head after Washington designated him a terrorist for his
close links to al-Qaeda in both Iraq and Syria.
The bounty was subsequently lifted after al-Sharaa, with significant military
backing from Turkey, succeeded in overthrowing the Baathist dictatorship of
Syrian President Bashar al-Assad in late 2024.
Trump's attempts to improve ties with both Turkey and Saudi Arabia brought about
the US lending its endorsement to al-Sharaa's Islamist regime in Damascus. The
result is that al-Sharaa has now set about, at the very least, failing to
prevent (here, here and here) wholesale attempts, apparently by his own
government's security forces, to slaughter Syria's religious and ethnic
minorities: Druze, Alawites and Kurds, including America's presumed allies, the
Kurdish Syrian Democratic Forces Army (SDF), who courageously defeated Syria's
Islamic State terrorists.
Syria's Christians may well be the al-Sharaa government's next target.
Al-Sharaa's meeting with Trump at the White House in November 2025 ended with US
officials announcing that the new Syrian regime had been invited to join Trump's
international coalition to combat the threat posed by IS terrorists -- a
remarkable turnaround in al-Sharaa's fortunes, given his previous close
association with Islamist terrorist organizations.
The Trump administration has become increasingly
concerned at the prospect of IS staging a comeback after suffering a
catastrophic defeat at the hands of US coalition forces in 2017, which succeeded
in destroying the so-called caliphate that IS had established in the Syrian city
of Raqqa.
The prominent role played by the Kurdish-led SDF proved crucial to the eventual
outcome of that US-led offensive.
Trump's decision, therefore, to invite a known Islamist such as al-Sharaa to
join the latest US effort to crush IS understandably raised many eyebrows in
Washington, with critics questioning whether the new Syrian leader could be
trusted to take a firm stand against IS terrorists.
Following his White House meeting with al-Sharaa, Trump appeared impervious to
such concerns. He claimed that his main priority was "to see Syria become a
country that's very successful. And I think this leader can do it. I really do."
Al-Sharaa, for his part, assured Fox News that his visit to the White House
represented a "new era" in which the country would cooperate with the US.Trump's
willingness to give his backing to al-Sharaa is said to be the result of his
attempts to deepen ties with Middle East states such as Qatar, Turkey and Saudi
Arabia which, for different reasons, appear keen to see an Islamist government
in power in Damascus -- as elsewhere. For Qatar and Turkey, supporting al-Sharaa
fits in with their long-established policy of backing radical Islamist groups,
such as the Muslim Brotherhood, while the Saudis' backing for the new Syrian
regime is based on their desire to prevent Iran's ayatollahs from
re-establishing a foothold in a country, Syria, that was once Tehran's closest
regional ally.Trump's backing for al-Sharaa, at a time when he has repeatedly
declared his determination to prevent IS terrorists from staging a comeback, now
faces the very real prospect of backfiring spectacularly after recent events in
Syria, where al-Sharaa's attacks against Kurdish strongholds in the north of the
country have resulted in hundreds of IS terrorists escaping from Kurdish-run
prison camps.Al-Sharaa's forces earlier this month launched a series of
assaults, ostensibly with Trump's backing, against Kurdish-controlled regions of
northern Syria as part of his efforts to assert his control over the entire
country.The Kurds established their own autonomous zone while fighting alongside
US forces during Syria's long-running civil war, and around 1,500 US troops
still remain in the area, partly to protect the Kurds, as well as to help
maintain security for the estimated 50,000 IS terrorists and their dependents
that were taken prisoner following the fall of Raqqa.Trump has made no secret of
his desire to end America's military involvement in Syria. At the end of his
first term in office, he tried to withdraw the remaining US forces, but had to
abandon the plan after being accused of betraying the Kurds, who had proved
themselves to be such valued allies during the war against IS.Since returning to
office last year, Trump has renewed his efforts to end US military involvement
in Syria – a move said to be one of the reasons behind his decision to back al-Sharaa's
Islamist regime.
If the US ever does pull its troops from Syria, the vacuum will most assuredly
be filled instantly by Turkey and other Jihadists, as well as by Russia again
and possibly China.Trump's support for Al-Sharaa has, in addition, raised
concerns about the fate of the IS prisoners still being held in
Kurdish-controlled territory, after reports that significant numbers managed to
escape during recent fighting between government forces and the Kurdish-led SDF.
There have even been reports of IS raising its flag
again in Raqqa after al-Sharaa's forces seized control of the city from the
Kurds.Certainly, any development that results in IS terrorists re-establishing a
foothold in Syria could prove more than embarrassing for the Trump
administration after the president personally pledged his commitment to maintain
the US military effort to prevent the terrorist group from regrouping.
The White House recently authorised strikes against
IS bases in both Syria and Nigeria after three US military personnel were killed
in an IS ambush in December, prompting Trump to promise that his administration
would undertake "very serious retaliation" against those responsible for the
killings. The US president
could find himself facing an extremely difficult predicament, especially during
midterm elections, if, as a result of his support for Syria's Islamist leader,
more Americans and others are killed or suffer serious injury at the hands of
al-Sharaa's government, IS terrorists who have escaped from Syrian prisons, as
well as al-Sharaa's apparent commitment to ethnically cleanse, then Islamise,
Syria.
*Con Coughlin is the Telegraph's Defence and Foreign Affairs Editor and a
Distinguished Senior Fellow at Gatestone Institute.
https://www.gatestoneinstitute.org/22240/trump-sharaa-syria-islamic-state
© 2026 Gatestone Institute. All rights reserved. The articles printed here do
not necessarily reflect the views of the Editors or of Gatestone Institute.
Le régime de Cuba a entre 15 et 20 jours de combustible
avant le collapse total.
François Bainy/2 février 2026
https://eliasbejjaninews.com/2026/02/151700/
Selon le financial times les réserves de pétrole de l'île vont bientót terminer.
Le rationement qui est déjà brutal peut bientôt
dégénérer en black out total.Dans plusieurs villes la lumière apparaît durant
quelques heures par jour. Le combustible est pratiquement inéxistant et
l'économie a tout simplement cessé ses activités. Cuba ne se rencontre pas au
bord de la faillite à peine à cause du blockus extérieur mais le régime
communiste avait détruit toute la capacité de produire,d'exporter et de payer
pour ses besoins en Pétrole. Sans production il n'y a pas de dollars sans
dollars il n'y a pas d'énergie. Le Vénézuella qui soutenait le régime de Cuba
durant des dizaines d'années a suspendu son aide.Maintenant le Mexique se trouve
sous la pression directe des États Unis pour arrêter la fourniture du Pétrole à
Cuba.Dans ce cas entre un facteur décisif,Donald Trump déclare un état d'urgence
national contre Cuba et a autorisé l'application de tarifes contre les pays qui
fournissent du Pétrole a Cuba. Cela change toute la donne qui tente d'aider le
régime cubain payera très cher.Actuellement Cuba consomme 37 mille barrils par
jour mais n'avait reçu au cours du mois de Janvier que 30 mille barrils par
jour.Le stock interne tourne autour de 46 mille barrils. En faisant les comptes
cela Permettait un fonctionnement de trois semaines au Maximum.
Après cette date il ne s'agirait plus de crise
d'énergie mais de Collapse sistémique.L'énergie disparaît,le transport
s'arrête,les aliments disparaissent et le régime entre en mode de survie totale.
La question n'est pas de savoir si Cuba se dirige vers la faillite ou si le
régime va tomber ou si le peuple va payer le prix le plus cher avant la chute.
Le communisme termine toujours de la même manière:sans énergie,sans nourriture
et sans issue.La montre est en marche et le régime n'a pas les moyens de se
sauver cette fois ci. (F.B.)
The Cuban regime has between 15 and 20 days of fuel left before total collapse.
François Bainy/February 02, 2026
https://eliasbejjaninews.com/2026/02/151700/
According to the Financial Times, the island's oil reserves are about to run
out. Rationing, which is already brutal, could soon degenerate into a total
blackout. In several cities, electricity is only available for a few hours a
day. Fuel is practically non-existent, and the economy has simply ground to a
halt.
Cuba is not on the brink of bankruptcy solely because of the external blockade;
the communist regime has destroyed all capacity to produce, export, and pay for
its oil needs. Without production, there are no dollars; without dollars, there
is no energy. Venezuela, which supported the Cuban regime for decades, has
suspended its aid. Now, Mexico is under direct pressure from the United States
to stop supplying oil to Cuba. A decisive factor enters here: Donald Trump has
declared a national state of emergency regarding Cuba and authorized the
application of tariffs against countries that provide oil to the island. This
changes everything; anyone attempting to help the Cuban regime will pay a very
high price.
Currently, Cuba consumes 37,000 barrels per day, but received only 30,000
barrels per day during January. Internal stocks hover around 46,000 barrels.
Doing the math, this allows for a maximum of three weeks of operation. After
that date, it will no longer be an energy crisis, but a systemic collapse.
Energy disappears, transport stops, food vanishes, and the regime enters total
survival mode. The question is not whether Cuba is heading toward bankruptcy, or
if the regime will fall, or if the people will pay the highest price before the
collapse. Communism always ends the same way: without energy, without food, and
without a way out. The clock is ticking, and the regime does not have the means
to save itself this time. (F.B.)
The ‘Vision’ That the
Unaware Have Not Understood
Yousef Al-Dayni/Asharq Al Awsat/February 01/2026
Saudi Vision 2030 is not an executive program that can be reduced to particular
projects or deadlines, nor achievements assessed through the logic
inaugurations, closures, and delays. Profoundly, this Vision is an
intellectual–cultural project that has rearranged the relationship of Saudi
individuals with themselves, between society and meaning, of and the state and
its role. Examining it from outside this framework does this Vision a double
injustice: first, by confining it to the compartmental and the fleeting; second,
by overlooking its structural impact on consciousness and behavior.
The Vision has reformulated the central questions. “What do we advance?" to “Who
are we? And what can we create?” This shift in the center of gravity, and it is
the nucleus of any genuine renaissance. States do not change through decisions
alone; changing the minds that receive the decisions is equally crucial. The
Vision worked, with deep awareness, precisely at this level: the level of the
Saudi mindset, in language, behavior, and self-representation. The language of
Saudis has changed, and this is not a superficial matter. Language is both the
mirror of consciousness and its instrument. Competitiveness, added value,
innovation, sustainability, impact, and leadership are no longer merely
institutional buzzwords; they have entered everyday language. When language
changes, cerebral maps change. Success is no longer defined as a professional
position or a social privilege, becoming defined by the ability to add value and
transform knowledge into action. This linguistic shift is among the most
profound and consequential effects of the Vision, because it generates new
behavior organically. This transformation is more apparent in education.
Reforming curricula was not an end in itself, but a gateway for redefining
students. Introducing philosophy and critical thinking, linking education to the
labor market and scientific research, and broadening options all reflect a
vision that sees students as active producers of knowledge rather than passive
recipients. School is no longer a place for drilling certainties; it has become
a space for unpacking questions and building skills. From this prism, one can
understand the growing scientific competition among male and female students not
as a celebration but as the logical outcome of the new educational environment.
When students from various regions of the Kingdom win scientific awards in
medicine, mathematics, energy, physics, and the environment, the prize ceases to
be the point itself; excellence becomes commonplace. Excellence, here, is no
longer an exception to be celebrated once but an endless path. This is the
difference between a society that produces stars and a society that builds the
foundations of excellence. The Vision worked from bottom-up.Economically,
figures cannot be read without their philosophical context. Diversification,
empowering the private sector, recalibrating priorities, and regulating markets
are not merely an accounting exercise. They are a manifestation of a conception
that sees the economy as a tool for building capacities, not subordinating the
people to the economy.
The Vision does not seek abstract quantitative growth but meaningful growth that
is reflected in quality of life and in society’s capacity to adapt and produce.
For this reason, review and reassessment are not signs of confusion, but part of
a state mindset that knows efficiency to be the highest political and economic
value in an age of major transformations.On the cultural and social level,
Vision 2030 has reconsidered the question of identity, not as a conflict but as
a calm reclamation. Identity, here, is neither a slogan nor a form of closure;
it is a dynamic interaction between history and the future. Celebrating
heritage, language, the arts, and regional diversity is no longer an exercise in
nostalgia, but of a new awareness that sees plurality as a national treasure.
This resurging identity does not entail exclusion and requires no ideological
brackets, because it is tied to a clear national project in which the state is
the unifying framework and the highest meaning.Politically, this internal
transformation has been reflected in a more confident and balanced international
presence. A state that rebuilds the mind of its society, invests in knowledge,
and manages its identity well inevitably becomes more capable, not because it
seeks a role, but because a role takes shape when material and symbolic sources
of power accumulate together. This is the Vision 2030 that many overlook. It is
not a story of projects, but a story of human beings. It is a vision that has
redefined the relationship between knowledge and responsibility, between
ambition and identity, and between the individual and the homeland. The changes
in language, behavior, and expectations we are currently seeing are not side
effects; they are the deepest achievements. Major transformations do not begin
from the without but from within: from a mind that dares to redefine itself, and
from a society that has decided to shape its era, not merely bear witness to it.
Balkan states crucial to
Turkiye’s Middle East policy
Dr. Sinem Cengiz/Arab News/February 01, 2026
Since the breakup of the former Yugoslavia, the Balkan region has been a
priority for Turkiye because of its geopolitical proximity and historical and
cultural ties. Through its economic and political influence, Turkiye has placed
the region within its area of particular interest. As a result, relations with
Balkan states have begun to occupy an important place in Ankara’s foreign policy
agenda. Since this region’s history has been marked by conflict, fragmentation
and chronic instability, Turkiye maintains a calculated and balanced policy
toward each Balkan country.
As part of this policy, Turkiye has launched a diplomatic initiative, the Balkan
Peace Platform, which held its second meeting in Istanbul last month. The
meeting brought together the foreign ministers of Albania, Bosnia-Herzegovina,
Montenegro, Kosovo, North Macedonia and Serbia. Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan
Fidan said that the platform has quickly become an important mechanism for
deepening dialogue, emphasizing Turkiye’s role as a unifying actor.
While global attention is often focused on regional developments from Gaza to
Iran and from Sudan to Yemen, the Balkan region may not appear to be a priority
for many. However, despite being a peripheral region, the Balkans has become an
arena where several actors, including Turkiye, Israel, Iran, Russia and the
Western powers, seek to expand their sphere of influence. Each of these actors
has different motivations toward the region, which connects Europe, the Middle
East, the Mediterranean and the Black Sea.
In recent years, with increasing tensions due to the Gaza war and Iran-Israel
conflict, the Balkan states have been gaining prominence. For instance, Kosovo
President Vjosa Osmani was among the leaders of 20 countries who signed up to
the US-led Board of Peace. Meanwhile, Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama was last
month received at the Israeli Knesset, meeting Prime Minister Benjamin
Netanyahu. A few days later, Netanyahu received Republika Srpska President Ana
Trisic-Babic and former President Milorad Dodik.
Since the Gaza war erupted, Israel has been trying to forge closer ties with the
Balkan states. Israeli President Isaac Herzog has paid historic visits to
Albania and Serbia. Israel is particularly trying to gain impetus in the Balkans
by expanding its military and economic ties. Tel Aviv’s defense partnership with
Serbia has paved the way for Israel’s growing footprint in the region. In
addition to defense ties, Israel sees the Balkans as a space useful for
intelligence purposes against its opponents in the region, particularly Turkiye.
It is no coincidence that as Turkish-Israeli relations have worsened due to the
Gaza war, Israel has been using its lobbying power in the West to influence
Balkan states that need Western backing. Israel’s outreach comes at a time when
it faces international isolation due to the Gaza conflict. Although the Balkan
region might be seen as Europe’s periphery, Israel aims to build legitimacy by
showcasing to the world that its leaders can still travel abroad and receive
other leaders in their offices.
Despite being peripheral, the Balkans has become an arena where several actors
seek to expand their sphere of influence.
For leaders of small and fragile Balkan states, hosting international
dignitaries or participating in global treaties can be seen as an opportunity to
enhance their international standing. However, it is also important for them to
align with the “right side of history,” since it is clear that, with so few
leaders — even in Europe — willing to meet Netanyahu, receiving or visiting him
will bring no tangible gain.
The Balkan states’ stance toward Israel and its war in Gaza has been varied.
Albania established diplomatic relations with Israel only after the fall of its
communist regime in 1991. Before that, Tirana supported the Palestine Liberation
Organization. However, as US influence in Albania increased after 1991,
political support for the Palestinians diminished. Today, Albania is strongly
allied with Israel, believing that closer relations can boost its influence with
the White House.
While Serbia has provided humanitarian aid to Gaza, it also supplied arms to
Israel — deliveries that President Aleksandar Vucic halted after Israel attacked
Iran last year. Since then, Serbia has been pursuing a cautious policy,
concerned over a potential spillover of the Iran-Israel conflict to the Balkans.
Meanwhile, Montenegro and North Macedonia have adopted a low-profile diplomatic
stance. Kosovo, the only Balkan state to recognize Jerusalem as Israel’s capital
and open an embassy there, has been trying to be part of the Gaza peace efforts,
as seen in its role as one of the signatories of the Board of Peace.
Bosnia-Herzegovina is deeply divided due to its internal political structure.
While Bosniak political forces are pro-Palestinian and sympathetic toward
Turkiye, Bosnian Serb leaders are vocal in supporting Israel, as seen from their
leaders’ visit to the country.
Turkiye has long sought to prevent external actors from using the Balkans to
advance their own agendas. In the past, Ankara opposed Iranian and Russian
influence in the region. Today, Israel has emerged as another actor attempting
to leverage Balkan dynamics for its destabilizing objectives in the Middle East.
While Israel lacks the capacity to establish a strong presence in the Balkans,
it will likely exploit any opportunity to minimize support for the Palestinian
cause and gain allies against Ankara.
Turkiye already enjoys strong political ties with Balkan states, built on shared
culture and history, and can further deepen these partnerships. The Balkan Peace
Platform is an excellent initiative in this regard. Ankara can also leverage its
position within NATO, especially with Balkan members of the alliance, to
encourage regional states to pursue balanced foreign policies regarding Middle
East issues and reduce Israel’s leverage in this area
*Dr. Sinem Cengiz is a Turkish political analyst who specializes in Turkiye’s
relations with the Middle East. X: @SinemCngz
How Middle East can tackle its obesity crisis
Zaid M. Belbagi/Arab News/February 01, 2026
Global obesity rates have increased in recent decades, with about 890 million
adults worldwide now classified as obese. Obesity affects a troubling 43 percent
of adults globally. However, the Middle East and North Africa region stands out,
as it has seen one of the fastest increases in obesity prevalence among all
regions. This rapid rise calls for immediate action from both public health
systems and the food industry to address what is now a structural crisis.
Several factors contribute to this alarming trend, starting with the region’s
low levels of physical activity. MENA countries exhibit some of the lowest
physical activity levels worldwide. Only 38.5 percent of adults in the region
meet the World Health Organization’s recommended guidelines. In nations such as
Qatar and Kuwait, the numbers are particularly shocking, with more than 80
percent of teenagers and 55 percent of adults not engaging in sufficient
physical activity.
This trend is intensified by an overreliance on cars, which is a direct
consequence of the extreme weather conditions in the Gulf. The intense heat and
humidity during summer months make walking unbearable, leaving people with
little choice but to use cars even for short trips.
Alongside physical inactivity, the increasing consumption of junk food has
become a significant factor driving the region’s obesity epidemic. Fast food and
sugary drinks have permeated the daily diet and their easy availability has led
to rising rates of overeating. Coupled with this is the food culture in the
region, where traditional dishes tend to be high in calories. Meals are often
seen as social events, with food being central to gatherings, family events and
even religious celebrations. Hospitality and generosity are deeply tied to food,
which frequently leads to overconsumption.
The implications of this rising obesity epidemic are profound. Obesity is no
longer just a personal issue — it has evolved into a public health crisis with
far-reaching consequences. The impact on health systems in the MENA region is
already being felt. Obesity is linked to several chronic diseases, including
diabetes, hypertension and kidney disease, all of which place an immense strain
on healthcare systems. Furthermore, the mental health effects of obesity cannot
be overlooked. Those living with obesity are at a higher risk of developing
depression and anxiety and face significant stigma, which can negatively affect
self-esteem and hinder social inclusion.
This health crisis also comes with a substantial financial burden. The cost of
obesity-related diseases is rising, straining public finances and healthcare
systems across the region. Obesity-related diseases cost the Gulf Cooperation
Council states about $68 billion annually, impacting not just healthcare budgets
but also workforce productivity. The economic burden is growing and it is clear
the status quo cannot continue. The increasing consumption of junk food has
become a significant factor driving the region’s obesity epidemic.
Governments in the MENA region have begun to acknowledge the gravity of the
situation and are taking steps to address it. In the UAE, the Ministry of Health
and Prevention last year introduced the National Clinical Guidelines for Weight
Management and Prevention of Adulthood Obesity, which reframe obesity as a
chronic disease and establish standardized care pathways nationwide. Saudi
Arabia, where more than a quarter of adults are obese, has also made obesity
prevention a priority under its Healthcare Sector Transformation Program and
Vision 2030. These efforts focus on promoting healthier diets and creating
environments that foster well-being. One potential strategy for combating the
obesity epidemic is through stronger regulations on junk food advertising. In
the UK, for example, television and online ads promoting unhealthy food and
drink are banned before 9 p.m. to protect children. This move has proven
effective and experts in the MENA region are calling for similar restrictions
here.Abu Dhabi has already introduced measures to restrict unhealthy food
advertising around schools and public spaces, while Saudi Arabia’s Food and Drug
Authority has issued guidelines aimed at curbing marketing to children. By
limiting the exposure of young people to unhealthy food advertisements, these
policies can help shape healthier eating habits from an early age.
Equally important is the role of the food industry in addressing the crisis.
Over the past few years, there have been growing efforts to reformulate
products, introduce clearer labeling and impose taxes on unhealthy foods. In
Saudi Arabia, for example, the government introduced an excise tax on sugary
drinks (50 percent) and energy drinks (100 percent) in 2017, leading to a 35
percent drop in carbonated drink sales. These taxes have encouraged consumers to
choose healthier alternatives and have prompted food companies to reduce the
sugar content in their products. The Saudi Food and Drug Authority has also
mandated calorie labeling on restaurant menus, giving consumers the information
they need to make healthier choices. These regulatory efforts are already
yielding positive results. If MENA countries continue to follow the example set
by Saudi Arabia, obesity rates could decrease substantially by 2030. This
requires sustained efforts, including food reformulation, stricter regulations
on junk food marketing and a continued push for greater physical activity. The
key to success lies in creating a comprehensive, multifaceted approach that
involves both government policies and industry cooperation, along with education
initiatives that promote healthier lifestyles from a young age. In conclusion,
the obesity crisis in the MENA region is a complex, structural issue that
demands urgent attention from both public health systems and the food industry.
By implementing structured policies, such as regulating junk food marketing and
incentivizing healthier food options, alongside initiatives that encourage
physical activity and dietary changes, MENA countries can make significant
progress in reversing the obesity trend.
The path forward is clear: through collaborative efforts and sustained
commitment, the region can begin to address this growing epidemic and improve
the overall health and well-being of its populations.
*Zaid M. Belbagi is a political commentator and an adviser to private clients
between London and the Gulf Cooperation Council. X: @Moulay_Zaid
Balance key as Gulf states’ soft power grows
Maha Akeel/Arab News/February 01, 2026
At a recent international conference on geopolitics that I attended, a prominent
speaker discussed the growing influence of the Gulf states. Political
commentators, analytical papers, and research studies are repeatedly
highlighting this growing role and influence. This is not us claiming
leadership, this is international recognition of the shift in how power is
exercised in the region, especially in terms of mediation and humanitarian aid
when considering the receding role of the usual Western powers, particularly the
US.
Over the past decade, the Gulf states have emerged as indispensable actors in
mediation and humanitarian aid. From facilitating prisoner exchanges and
ceasefire talks to underwriting large-scale humanitarian responses, Gulf states
have positioned themselves as brokers in crises that extend well beyond their
borders. As with other countries, Gulf states use mediation and humanitarian aid
to project influence, stabilize regions, and meet geopolitical goals. Whether
through UN organizations or bilateral agreements for reconstruction efforts,
funding education and health programs, vocational training and development
projects, Gulf diplomacy skillfully blends substantial financial aid with active
mediation to achieve tangible political and strategic outcomes, solidifying
these states’ roles as significant regional actors.
At its core, this strategy is about soft power. Acting as intermediaries in
conflicts where traditional powers are either distrusted or overstretched
enhances their reputations as pragmatic, solution-oriented actors. Humanitarian
aid, meanwhile, projects an image of responsibility and leadership, particularly
in the Middle East and North Africa region, where several countries are fatigued
by war, displacement, and institutional collapse.
The Gulf states project soft power through investments to support postconflict
reconstruction and incentivize dialogue, as well as investing in media,
education, cultural diplomacy, and hosting major international events that
enhance their international visibility and reputation. On the other hand, states
such as Kuwait and Oman emphasize impartiality and “quiet diplomacy” to
establish credibility, making them acceptable as mediators to all parties in a
conflict.
In addition to providing access to global decision-makers, conflicting parties
and international institutions, soft power also bolsters the Gulf states’
standing in global forums. Their voices increasingly carry weight not only
because of energy markets or financial clout, but because they are seen as
problem-solvers.
The Gulf states project soft power through investments to support postconflict
reconstruction and incentivize dialogue.
Saudi Arabia’s successful participation in the World Economic Forum in Davos
illustrates its impactful presence through meaningful dialogue, pragmatic
cooperation, and the launch of major initiatives designed to address global
challenges and capture opportunities.
The Global Soft Power Index 2026, released during Davos, indicates that while
the US continues to exercise hard, economic and soft power, its overall soft
power performance has declined, creating space for other nations to expand their
influence, particularly China, but also the Gulf states. Saudi Arabia climbed
from 20th to 17th and Qatar from 22nd to 20th through proactive diplomacy,
economic diversification and new efforts across culture, tourism, and sports.
However, with rising influence comes growing pressure to meet expectations and
maintain neutrality, credibility, and transparency. Qatar’s central role in
ceasefire and hostage negotiations in Gaza has placed Doha under intense
scrutiny. Because it hosts key Hamas interlocutors and publicly commits funds
for humanitarian relief, delays or restrictions on aid access have rebounded
into political pressure on Qatari diplomacy. Despite lacking control over
conditions on the ground, mediators are often blamed when humanitarian corridors
stall or ceasefires falter, thus raising expectations that mediation must also
produce tangible humanitarian outcomes.
As Western powers recalibrate their roles in the region, Gulf states are often
expected to step in — not just financially, but diplomatically and
strategically. This can stretch capacity and blur the line between facilitation
and responsibility.
Therefore, the challenge ahead for Gulf states when it comes to mediation and
humanitarian aid is balance. Gulf states need to institutionalize their
mediation and humanitarian efforts, anchoring them in clear principles.
Transparency, coordination with multilateral organizations, and investment in
long-term conflict prevention — not just crisis response — can help sustain
credibility. Equally important is aligning these external roles with domestic
resilience, ensuring that international ambition does not outpace internal
consensus or capacity.
If managed carefully, the Gulf’s expanding role in mediation and humanitarian
aid can reinforce both regional stability and global relevance. But soft power
is not static; it must be renewed through performance, restraint, and
reliability. In a volatile MENA region and an uncertain international order, the
Gulf states’ greatest test may not be gaining influence — but sustaining it
without being overwhelmed by the responsibilities it brings.
• Maha Akeel is a Saudi expert in communications, social development, and
international relations. She is a member of the UN’s Senior Women Talent
Pipeline. X: @MahaAkeel1
Selected X tweets
for January
31/2026
Pope Leo XIV
I have received the greatly troubling news regarding an increase in tensions
between Cuba and the United States of America, two neighboring countries. I echo
the message of the Cuban bishops, inviting all responsible parties to promote a
sincere and effective dialogue, in order to avoid violence and every action that
could increase the suffering of the dear Cuban people.
Lindsey Graham
https://x.com/i/status/2018000138426310851
To the people of Iran: keep protesting.
President @realDonaldTrump says help is on the way and unlike past
administrations, he’s a man you can count on.
Stephen Harper
Laureen and I are excited to be in Ottawa this week and looking
forward to seeing so many friends and former colleagues from across our great
country. We’re grateful for the chance to reconnect and celebrate our
government’s 20th anniversary with everyone!
Hussain Abdul-Hussain
Abdulrahman is correct in his analysis below, with one caveat:
A comprehensive deal with the Islamist regime in Iran is impossible because it
would require amending the very nature of the regime—transforming it from an
expansionist, jihadi entity into a normal government responsible for policies
that advance economic growth and human development. Such a task is beyond the
comprehension of the ruling clerics, who have jumped out of medieval religious
texts with their messianic beliefs and zero-sum thinking.
There is no compromise or middle ground with the Islamic Republic. The only way
to deal with it is either kill or get killed.
عبدالرحمن الراشد
@aalrashed
In any assessment of a crisis usually account for the full
spectrum of possible outcomes not just a single preferred scenario.
•A comprehensive negotiated deal securing all core concessions is the safest and
most stabilizing outcome for the U.S, Israel, Iran and surrounding Arab states.
• Partial concessions, such as halting nuclear enrichment alone, would only
delay conflict, leaving Israel and Iran on a path toward renewed confrontation.
• Using force to impose full concessions comes with unpredictable risks, ranging
from uncontrollable systemic collapse to the rise of more radical and hardline
groups.
• Absorbing an initial strike to de-escalate may pause hostilities temporarily,
but it would likely set the stage for a near future clash.
Jonathan Whittall
I was one of the UN staff on the mission to northern #Gaza who reported on the
unimaginable death and devastation we saw. @Reuters
reports the US embassy blocked a USAID report based on our debriefing while the
Biden admin weighed weapons sales. Sickening.
Nadia Bilbassy Charters
Biden identifies as a Zionist publicly, and keeps repeating it over and over and
over again, his spokespersons were devoid of any sympathy towards the most
valuable except in empty words . I am not surprised.
Nadim Koteich
Sheikh Mohammed didn't announce KPIs. He revealed an operating system.
2031 targets, a trillion dollars in non-oil trade, hit in 2026. Five years
early. No fanfare until delivery. No drama. No updates. No excuses. No blame.
This is the DNA of Emirati governance: set targets quietly, execute
relentlessly, announce only when achieved. A trillion dollars in non-oil trade
isn't a number. It's a sovereignty statement. It means you don't beg for IMF
loans. You don't tolerate external pressure. You can say no to anyone, because
you have alternatives.In a region where overpromises and underdelivers is the
norm, the UAE underpromises and overperforms.It doesn’t perform governance, it
executes it. It doesn’t chase symbolic victories, it accumulate actual leverage.
MBR just showed the difference.
And that's why the gap keeps growing.
Nadim Koteich
TEHRAN’S CIVIL WAR OF WORDS: CONTRADICTORY VOICES REVEAL A
LEADERSHIP IN TOTAL DISARRAY
Larijani’s statement, that “a structured framework” for negotiations with the US
is "taking shape and moving forward” suggests that the "no negotiations under
threat" mantra was a red line that has now been crossed.
The Iranian regime has effectively conceded the point that they will talk while
the "armada" is at the door, which is exactly what they swore they would not do
72 hours ago.
Whether this is a calculated "blink" to save the regime from an imminent strike
or a symptom of competing power centers pulling in contradictory directions,
remains unanswered.
72 Hours of Contradiction
Phase 1: The Unified Wall of Defiance (Jan 28 – Jan 30)
Onl days ago, the regime’s official apparatus was synchronized in its rejection
of talks.
• Abbas Araghchi (Foreign Minister): Stated on Wednesday (Jan 28), "Negotiations
cannot work under threats. Talks can only take place when threats and excessive
demands are set aside."
• Kazem Gharibabadi (Deputy FM): Reinforced this on Jan 29, declaring, "Tehran's
priority is not to negotiate... but to have 200 percent readiness to defend."
• Ali Shamkhani (Advisor to the Supreme Leader): Warned that any strike would be
the "start of war"and would trigger a response in the "heart of Tel Aviv."
Phase 2: The Sudden Fracture (Jan 31 – Feb 1)
As the USS Abraham Lincoln carrier group approached and President Trump's
"deadline" loomed, the narrative split:
• The Diplomatic Pivot (The Blink): Ali Larijani (Secretary of the Supreme
National Security Council) suddenly announced on Jan 31 that, despite the "media
war," "structural arrangements for negotiations are progressing." He did this
immediately after meeting with Vladimir Putin in Moscow.
• The Military Continuity (The Incoherence): Simultaneously, Army Chief Amir
Hatami was issuing warnings that nuclear technology "cannot be eliminated" and
that forces are on "high alert."
• The President's Plea: Masoud Pezeshkian called the Egyptian President to state
that Iran "in no way seeks war," a starkly different tone from Shamkhani’s
"unprecedented retaliation" threats.
"Multiple Power Centers"?
The evidence points toward a regime struggling to weather a crisis through
contradictory means:
The "Pragmatist" Center (Pezeshkian/Larijani): This group appears to have
"blinked." They are bypassing the Foreign Ministry's public rhetoric to secure a
"structured framework" before the U.S. deadline. Larijani’s involvement, a man
often used by Khamenei for sensitive, high-stakes shifts, suggests the Supreme
Leader may be allowing a diplomatic path while the military maintains a "hard"
exterior.
The "Deterrence" Center (IRGC/Shamkhani): They continue to push the "start of
war" narrative. If this is a coordinated strategy (Good Cop/Bad Cop), it is
designed to ensure that any negotiation doesn't look like a surrender. If it is
uncoordinated, it suggests that the military establishment is not yet fully
aligned with the diplomatic retreat.
Is it a blink? Yes.
The regime is now negotiating while the "armada" is in place, a scenario they
called "impossible" only 72 hours ago.
Is it incoherent? Yes.
When the Army Chief talks about "martyred scientists" while the National
Security Chief talks about "progressing arrangements," the message to the world
is one of a regime under extreme, multi-directional pressure.
Maha Aoun
The ignorant masses are being distracted with Epstein’s scandals so they forget
the far greater scandal of Trump mobilizing a massive war fleet, threatening
with everything he had, and then backing down from the strike decision in favor
of:
Those who benefited from the dramatic crash in gold prices after a historic
surge.
Serving the interests of all rogue regimes and outlaw militias, and betting on
the survival of the criminal, blood-soaked regime in Tehran.
Roger Bejjani
During his interview on Al Jadeed, which I watched on YouTube, the journalist's
complacency or ignorance (or both) allowed Gebran Bassil to give his alarming
inconsistency a break. I hold back 3 of his statements to resurrect a death:
1. He makes it clear without mentioning that Samir Geagea is a specialist in
coups. Rebel. I wouldn’t waste my time to prove otherwise. But I remind GB
(Gnome Bassil) that his father-in-law just like 15 years before him Ahmad El
Khatib and El Ahdab and 29 years before him Shawki Khairallah, Fouad Awad,
Aantoun Saad and Abdallah Saade (PPS coup in 1961), rebelled against Moawad and
Hraoui in one Coup de facto refusing to vandalize the Ministry of Defense and
the Presidential Palace after losing all legality and legitimacy. Note that all
these coups in the history of Lebanon were carried out by officers of the
Lebanese Army. Let's not forget the sit in and paralysis of the city center by
its supporters and those of terrorists and Amal, calling for the resignation of
Gov Siniora while continuing to assassinate MPs.
2. I was about to get teary eyed as I heard him recount his achievements as
Foreign Minister, when out of "concern" for the Sunnis Prime Representative and
fulfilling his national duty, he unambiguously demanded the relaxation of Saad
Hariri, who was detained in Arabia. laudable thing. But he forgets and the
journalist also forgets that it was him and the house of his toe fetishist
father-in-law who had gathered two-thirds of the Hariri government ministers and
declared the resignation of Hariri government at the same time Saad was meeting
with Obama in the white house. Just as humiliating and degrading for Saad and
Lebanon, but also had the scent of a coup against the Doha agreements. Let's
also not forget the unfortunate advertising campaigns organized by his wife, who
accused the Sunnis of all being Daesh. Let's recall Salam's photo with the label
"Daesh with a tie". Should we also remember that his father-in-law NerAoun had
launched with a narquish smile towards the first representative of the Sunnis
his famous "one way ticket"?
3. His undisclosed admiration and praise towards the assassin chief (HN) who had
ordered the assassination of Lebanese politicians and opinion leaders in record
numbers and in record time; while recalling the inepties invented by his
father-in-law regarding the "crimes" of SG or FL during a time of war. I'm about
to debate this with me or send one of his minors to do it. Obviously no
questions about this from the fat-calf journalist.