English LCCC Newsbulletin For Lebanese, Lebanese Related, Global News
& Editorials
For January 02/2026
Compiled & Prepared by: Elias Bejjani
#elias_bejjani_news
The Bulletin's Link on the
lccc Site
https://eliasbejjaninews.com/aaaanewsfor2026/english.january02.26.htm
News Bulletin Achieves Since
2006
Click Here to enter the LCCC Arabic/English news bulletins Achieves since 2006
Click On
The Below Link To Join Elias Bejjaninews whatsapp group
https://chat.whatsapp.com/FPF0N7lE5S484LNaSm0MjW
اضغط
على الرابط في
أعلى للإنضمام
لكروب
Eliasbejjaninews whatsapp group
Elias Bejjani/Click on
the below link to subscribe to my youtube channel
الياس
بجاني/اضغط
على الرابط في
أسفل للإشتراك في
موقعي ع اليوتيوب
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCAOOSioLh1GE3C1hp63Camw
Bible Quotations For today
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 January 01-02/2026
Patriotic and Faithful Reflections for the New Year/Elias Bejjani/January
01/2026
Israeli reports say Trump gave Netanyahu green light for potential strike on
Hezbollah
President Aoun praises security coordination after calm New Year’s Eve
Ceasefire monitoring meeting next week limited to military level, sources say
Aarida border crossing closed temporarily over flood damage
2025 sees breakthrough in Lebanese efforts to collect Palestinian weapons
US Embassy Greets Lebanese: A Wish for Peace and Hope
Le Drian and Bin Farhan in Lebanon Soon; "Mechanism" Talks to be
Military-Focused
Hezbollah Meets Lebanese Goodwill with Accusations of Treason and Threats of
Aggression/Lara Yazbek/Al-Markazia /January 01, 2026
Mechanism Meeting Next Week at Military Level Only
2025 in Lebanon: LBCI reflects on a year of challenges, coverage, and
coexistence
PM Nawaf Salam outlines priorities for Lebanon in exclusive LBCI interview
Titles For The Latest English LCCC Miscellaneous
Reports And News published
on January 01-02/2026
Syrian government foils Daesh plot to attack churches and New Year celebrations
Syria’s Interior Minister Warns Remnants of Former Regime
Palestinian, 26, shot dead in village south of Nablus
Young Palestinian boy drowns in muddy water flooding his Gaza tent camp, UN says
Hoping for better year ahead, Gazans bid farewell to ‘nightmare’
UN chief condemns Israeli law blocking electricity, water for UNRWA facilities
Israel Says It ‘Will Enforce’ Ban on 37 NGOs in Gaza
One Dead as Israeli Forces Open Fire on West Bank Stone-Throwers
Israel’s Netanyahu Among Partygoers at Trump’s New Year’s Eve Fete
EU warns Yemen developments risk Gulf stability
Member of Iranian Security Forces Reportedly Killed During Protests
Fresh clashes kill six in Iran cost-of-living protests
Thousands stage pro-Gaza rally in Istanbul
Libya says UK to analyze black box from crash that killed general
Crown prince, Qatar Emir discuss regional developments in phone call
Saudi Arabia seizes millions of narcotic pills in 2025
Flash floods triggered by heavy rains in Afghanistan kill at least 17 people
Fire ravages Amsterdam church on ‘unsettled’ Dutch New Year
Ukraine says overnight Russian drone attack damaged power infrastructure
128 journalists killed worldwide in 2025: press group
Zohran Mamdani Sworn in as New York City Mayor at Historic Subway Station
Titles For The Latest English LCCC analysis & editorials from miscellaneous
sources published
on January 01-02/2026
Diplomacy sceptic diplomacy and pending wars/Dr. Charles Elias Chartouni/This Is
Beirut/January 01/2026
Thanks to Trump's 'Peace' Plan, Hamas Even Has Time to Hold Elections/Khaled Abu
Toameh/Gatestone Institute/January 01/2026
Will one tumultuous year lead to another?/Yossi Mekelberg/Arab News/January
01/2026
Fight against hate must not be weaponized/Ray Hanania/Arab News/January 01, 2026
Selected Face Book & X tweets/ January 01-02/2026
The Latest English LCCC
Lebanese & Lebanese Related News & Editorials published
on January 01-02/2026
Patriotic and Faithful Reflections for the New Year
Elias Bejjani/January 01/2026
https://eliasbejjaninews.com/2025/12/81879/
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=udOAxwh6Au0&t=7s
How transformative and healing it would be if each and every one of us were
fully ready to welcome the new year with a clear conscience, a reconciled
spirit, and a renewed commitment to love and understanding. Imagine entering the
new year with a heart unburdened by the weight of past grievances, a mind freed
from the chains of hostility, hatred, and jealousy, and a soul glowing with
forgiveness and compassion.
Life, as fleeting as it is precious, unfolds in the blink of an eye. The gift of
life that Almighty God has granted us is a treasure that He may choose to
reclaim at any moment. These undeniable truths compel us to reflect deeply on
how we live our days and how we engage with those around us. Let us, therefore,
make a conscious decision to leave behind the pains, hardships, and
disappointments of the ending year, embracing the opportunity for a fresh start.
As we turn the page to the new year, let us commit to filling the blank slate of
this new year with acts of kindness, gestures of goodwill, and moments of
genuine connection. Let us strive to build bridges where walls once stood, to
sow seeds of hope where despair had taken root, and to light the path of love
where shadows of division lingered.
For our beloved Lebanon, a nation enduring the heavy yoke of occupation and
oppression, let this new year ignite a collective yearning for peace and
freedom. May it inspire all its people—the impoverished, the marginalized, and
the oppressed—to find strength in unity, courage in faith, and resolve in their
pursuit of justice and sovereignty. Let us pray that 2025 brings a renewed
spirit of hope and the dawn of a brighter, liberated future for our homeland.
To every faithful and wise individual, the call is clear: Begin this new year
with open hands, a forgiving heart, and unwavering faith. Extend love to those
who may have wronged you, embrace the gift of reconciliation, and walk forward
with self-confidence and hope.
Let us usher the new year with prayers for a year marked by peace, love, and the
fear of God. May it be a time of renewal and blessings for all. From the depths
of our hearts, we wish everyone a Happy New Year filled with forgiveness, faith,
hope, and enduring love.
May Lebanon’s suffering come to an end, and may its people rise with strength
and dignity to reclaim their freedom and future.
Israeli reports say Trump
gave Netanyahu green light for potential strike on Hezbollah
Naharnet /January 01, 2026
The Israeli army has raised its readiness level in anticipation of a potential
attack on Hezbollah, according to Israeli media reports. The reports said U.S.
President Donald Trump has given Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu a
"green light" to take military action against the group "if necessary."On
Wednesday evening, the Israeli newspaper Maariv reported that assessments within
the Israeli security establishment indicate that ongoing steps in Lebanon to
disarm Hezbollah do not meet the ceasefire conditions. The newspaper added that
the Israeli security establishment "intends to present available options for
weakening Hezbollah to the Prime Minister and the political echelon, while also
emphasizing the necessity of carrying out a military operation."It quoted
sources within the Israeli army as saying that "the lack of intention by the
Lebanese Army and government to continue disarming Hezbollah will push the
Israeli army to do so." These sources claimed that the Israeli army "is
monitoring Hezbollah's attempts to rebuild its capabilities, especially in areas
north of the Litani River," noting that among the capabilities the group seeks
to build and rehabilitate are "precision-guided missile systems, in addition to
other offensive systems." In a related context, Israel's Channel 15 reported
that "the issue of Lebanon and Hezbollah constituted only a small part of the
Netanyahu-Trump meeting at the Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida (on Monday), but it
appears that the Israeli and American positions are identical on this issue."The
channel added, quoting a source it described as informed: "Trump gave Netanyahu
permission to act against Hezbollah." The source explained that Trump assured
Netanyahu he would not stop him "if the Lebanese Army fails to disarm Hezbollah
and Israel deems it necessary." Meanwhile, The Jerusalem Post newspaper quoted
another source as saying the U.S. president emphasized that "the United States
supports Israel" should it decide to take such action. During the same meeting,
according to Channel 15, Trump reiterated his position on the necessity of fully
disarming Hezbollah, stating that the group is behaving "badly" and that he
would monitor the outcome of Lebanon's efforts to disarm the group.
President Aoun praises security coordination after calm New Year’s Eve
LBCI/January 01, 2026
President Joseph Aoun received reports Thursday from the military and security
agencies, the Civil Defense and the Lebanese Red Cross confirming that New
Year’s Eve passed safely following nationwide security measures by the army and
other security forces. No significant traffic accidents were recorded.
Aoun praised the coordination between security and emergency services, saying it
ensured a calm and secure start to the new year. He expressed hope that 2026
would bring stability and progress to Lebanon, including healing in the south,
the safe return of displaced residents to their villages, the full deployment of
the Lebanese Army along the southern border, and the release of detainees. Late
Wednesday, Aoun visited the operations rooms of the Internal Security Forces,
the Civil Defense, the Lebanese Red Cross and the army to review security
arrangements and issue directives to commanders.
Ceasefire monitoring meeting next week limited to military
level, sources say
LBCI/January 01, 2026
Sources told LBCI that the ceasefire monitoring mechanism meeting scheduled for
next week will be held exclusively at the military level, with no civilian
meeting taking place. The sources said the absence of a civilian meeting is due
to organizational reasons related to the unavailability of some members, noting
that a new date for the civilian-level meeting will be set at a later time.
Sources told LBCI that the ceasefire monitoring mechanism meeting scheduled for
next week will be held exclusively at the military level, with no civilian
meeting taking place. The sources said the absence of a civilian meeting is due
to organizational reasons related to the unavailability of some members, noting
that a new date for the civilian-level meeting will be set at a later time.
Aarida border crossing closed temporarily over flood damage
LBCI/January 01, 2026
The Lebanese General Security announced the temporary closure of the Aarida
border crossing as of Thursday, citing rising river levels and damage to the
bridge linking the crossing on the Syrian side. The move was taken as a
precautionary measure to ensure public safety and maintain the smooth flow of
crossings, the agency said in a statement. It noted that entry into and exit
from Lebanon remain possible through the Masnaa and Qaa border crossings, where
traffic is continuing normally under standard procedures.
The statement added that citizens will be informed of any updates or changes
once the necessary maintenance and repair work is completed, urging the public
to follow official announcements and adhere to issued instructions to ensure
personal safety.
2025 sees breakthrough in Lebanese efforts to collect
Palestinian weapons
LBCI/January 01, 2026
2025 marked a long path toward ending the issue of Palestinian weapons outside
state control in Lebanon — one of the country’s most complex and longstanding
challenges, shaped by decades of internal and regional balances. The May 21,
2025 Beirut summit between Lebanese President Joseph Aoun and Palestinian
President Mahmoud Abbas set the political framework to begin addressing the
presence of Palestinian weapons both inside and outside the camps. The
Lebanese-Palestinian Dialogue Committee, together with the Lebanese Army, was
tasked with coordinating and implementing the process. Under the Lebanese Army’s
plan to centralize weapons, Palestinian arms outside state authority became a
primary target, as confirmed by a government decision. Against the backdrop of
Lebanese political and security developments, and following the collapse of the
Syrian regime, the Lebanese Army successfully resolved the issue of Palestinian
weapons outside the camps and outside state control — notably in Naameh and Kfar
Zabad — without clashes. The Dialogue Committee and the Army then advanced
through five stages to collect arms inside Palestinian camps. The five stages of
Palestinian arms collection in 2025 began in Beirut camps, particularly in Borj
El Brajneh, with the surrender of light and medium weapons belonging to the
Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO). The second stage extended to Tyre
camps, including Rashidieh, Al-Buss, and Borj El Chmali. Subsequent stages
included new batches from Beirut, Beddawi and Lebanon’s largest camp, Ain al-Hilweh,
where heavy and medium weapons were recently handed over. Despite the progress
and the Dialogue Committee’s confirmation that these weapons have become a
burden rather than protection, major challenges remain for 2026. The collection
effort has so far been limited to the PLO, with Hamas and Islamic Jihad yet to
take any practical steps. Sources within the Dialogue Committee called on
Palestinian factions that have previously pledged to respect Lebanese state
authority to move from declared commitments to practical implementation.
Respecting sovereignty, they emphasized, cannot be symbolic or selective; it
requires clear compliance with state decisions and the immediate surrender of
weapons without conditions or pretexts, in direct coordination with the Lebanese
Army — following the example set by the PLO. The process of collecting
Palestinian weapons, which will continue into 2026, is paralleled by efforts to
affirm the economic and social rights of refugees without conditionality.
US Embassy Greets Lebanese:
A Wish for Peace and Hope
Al-Markazia/January 01, 2026 (Translated To English)
The US Embassy in Lebanon extended its greetings to the Lebanese people on the
occasion of the New Year, wishing for a year filled with joy, peace, and
prosperity. It also reaffirmed the enduring friendship between the United States
and Lebanon and its support for a future full of hope.
Le Drian and Bin Farhan in Lebanon Soon; "Mechanism" Talks
to be Military-Focused
Al-Markazia/January 01, 2026 (Translated To English)
Information obtained by mtv indicates that French envoy Jean-Yves Le Drian will
visit Beirut on the 7th of this month. He will urge Lebanese officials to pass
the Financial Gap Law and will discuss the Army Support Conference. Reports also
pointed to a visit by Saudi envoy Yazid bin Farhan to Beirut next week. The
reports added: "Bin Farhan, Le Drian, and US Ambassador Michel Issa will meet
with Lebanese officials to discuss the Army Support Conference." Furthermore,
mtv sources stated that the next "Mechanism" meeting may be held at the military
level only this time.
Hezbollah Meets Lebanese Goodwill with Accusations of Treason and Threats of
Aggression
Lara Yazbek/Al-Markazia /January 01, 2026 (Translated To English)
Over a year has passed since the ceasefire agreement and Hezbollah’s loss in the
"support war." Nearly a year has also passed since the presidential and
governmental political milestones that followed this defeat, characterized by
unprecedented local accommodation of the party, its demands, and its concerns.
This flexibility followed a broad internal embrace of the party’s base and
displaced persons during the war. However, this flexibility has only been met by
the party with further arrogance, superiority, and threats.
The latest example of this behavior, according to sovereign political sources
speaking to Al-Markazia, was provided by MP Hassan Fadlallah of the "Loyalty to
the Resistance" bloc. In a televised interview, he asserted that "the area south
of the Litani is part of the agreement, and once the Lebanese Army completes its
tasks there, it becomes a pressure card in Lebanon's hand against America to
force 'Israel' to implement the agreement." In addition to contradicting the
ceasefire agreement and the Cabinet decisions of August 5 and 7, he attacked
Lebanese citizens and accused them of treason. He claimed that "some internally
want to weaken the concept of resistance and anyone who wants to carry weapons
against the Israeli enemy because they had a project to attach Lebanon to the
enemy, but the Resistance thwarted it." Fadlallah noted that "talk of stripping
Lebanon of its strengths is an external will translated into internal
statements," while also using these points to intimidate the Shia community and
rally them around the party ahead of the elections, suggesting that "some
internally want to postpone the elections, relying on the Israeli blockade and
aggression to weaken the resistance environment."However, the most dangerous
part of his speech, the sources continue, was his threat of internal civil
confrontation. He addressed the domestic front saying, "Beware the anger of the
people, for if this anger explodes due to pressure, it will leave you with
nothing." The sources conclude: in order to protect weapons that the Lebanese
parliamentary and governmental majority has delegitimized—and which are now only
covered by an Iran determined to defy the Lebanese state—the party is
threatening civil war and inciting its base to "explode its anger" should the
Lebanese seek to apply their constitution, which mandates the exclusivity of
arms to the state. Where is the party taking the Lebanese with this rhetoric? Is
it forcing them to choose between civil war, an Israeli war, or at best,
international isolation?
Mechanism Meeting Next Week at Military Level Only
Al-Markazia/January 01, 2026 (Translated To English)
Information from LBCI reported that "the Mechanism meeting next week will be
held at the military level only. No civilian meeting will take place for
organizational reasons related to the unavailability of some members. The new
date for the civilian meeting will be set later."
2025 in Lebanon: LBCI reflects on a year of challenges,
coverage, and coexistence
LBCI/January 01, 2026
For many Lebanese, every return of electricity signals not relief, but the
arrival of a new challenge. And yet, the choice endures: to remain, to confront
reality, and to move forward. From its headquarters in Beirut to live stand-ups
across the country, LBCI has continued to position itself at the heart of
events. Its stated mission has remained unchanged: to follow developments
closely, seek verified facts, and deliver them clearly and responsibly — with
the aim of informing the public and encouraging constructive change. Lebanon has
endured years of instability marked by war, fear, political conflict and
unresolved national questions. Throughout that period, LBCI focused on
documenting reality as it unfolded, prioritizing accuracy, credibility and
balance. The network has sought to approach coverage with courage, while
avoiding incitement. In its handling of sensitive issues — including weapons,
the presidential election and major political decisions — LBCI opted for
measured reporting over populist rhetoric. The channel opened its platforms to
diverse viewpoints, while drawing a clear line against inflammatory discourse
and political escalation. Beyond reporting events, LBCI invested in explaining
their context, causes and potential consequences. At a time when misinformation
often travels faster than verified facts, the network emphasized caution.
Editorial decisions favored confirmation over speed, reinforcing the principle
that journalism is built on trust, not headlines. International coverage
remained central. From Washington, correspondent Hiba Nasr delivered
comprehensive reporting on U.S. positions, explaining the political and security
dimensions of American decisions and their direct implications for Lebanon. In
Palestine, Amal Shehadeh provided steady, fact-based updates on the course of
the war, maintaining a calm tone without exaggeration. In a rare exclusive, U.S.
official Morgan Ortagus granted LBCI an interview during a sensitive regional
moment, using the platform to clarify Washington’s approach to the Middle East.
On the ground, coverage extended from southern Lebanon to Beirut’s southern
suburbs, with an editorial emphasis on unity rather than division. Human stories
took precedence — accounts of solidarity, displacement, pain and resilience —
deliberately framed beyond sectarian narratives. The year was also marked by
loss within the media community. LBCI mourned the death of its colleague Hoda,
whose passing was described as a significant loss to both the institution and
the profession, known for its commitment to ethics and precision. The
deaths of cultural icon Ziad Rahbani and former colleague Bassam Barakat further
underscored a year of collective grief. Despite these challenges, the network
maintained sustained coverage across economic, health, social and public
affairs, driven by the conviction that Lebanon’s struggles must not fade from
international attention. Cultural and social programming formed another pillar
of coverage. From Christmas initiatives in Batroun — including record-setting
events — to Ramadan programming such as “Akram Min Min,” LBCI sought to reflect
moments of joy and continuity. Summer festivals, entertainment shows and
initiatives like “Shark Tank” highlighted innovation and entrepreneurship,
offering visibility and opportunity to young people choosing to build their
futures in Lebanon. The channel also emphasized Lebanon’s cultural identity and
historical legacy. This was particularly evident during the Pope’s visit, when
he described Lebanon as a model of coexistence among religions and a message of
peace to the world. LBCI expanded its coverage beyond standard reporting,
dedicating extensive airtime to the event in recognition of its national and
symbolic significance. As the year ends, LBCI reiterates its editorial
commitment: to report events in full context, to promote hope without illusion,
to unite rather than divide, and to remain a trusted presence in Lebanese homes
— as the country’s story continues.
PM Nawaf Salam outlines priorities for Lebanon in exclusive
LBCI interview
LBCI/January 01, 2026
Lebanese Prime Minister Nawaf Salam spoke to LBCI, reflecting on the past year
and outlining key priorities for 2026, including political reform, state
reconstruction, and national security. Salam said the country’s progress in the
coming year will depend on two main factors: the formation of a new parliament
and his own ability to continue reform efforts. “If the opportunity for reform
is still viable, I believe we can build on what we achieved last year,” he said.
“The first year was not easy, but we succeeded in many areas in putting the
state back on the right track. We are seeking to rebuild the state.”On the issue
of Hezbollah’s weapons, Salam emphasized that all arms must ultimately be under
the authority of the Lebanese state. “The weapons should be at the disposal of
all Lebanese, under a decision by the Lebanese government,” he said. “Contrary
to rumors, no one intends to throw them into the sea or hand them over to
Israel.”Salam dismissed concerns about the risk of internal conflict. “Lebanon
has been through wars, including civil wars, and I do not believe anyone wants a
return to internal fighting or any form of civil conflict,” he said. Addressing
Israel, Salam said the government has acted to prevent escalation and to ensure
a complete Israeli withdrawal. “We will not spare any effort to stop Israeli
attacks, and we do not engage in regional axis politics,” he said.
Reconstruction also remains a priority. Salam said a $250 million World Bank
loan was approved last week to support rebuilding efforts, with plans to begin
disbursing funds at the start of the new year. He added that he has met with the
Council for Development and Reconstruction to coordinate the process. On the
electricity sector, the prime minister described years of mismanagement as the
root of Lebanon’s ongoing energy crisis. “This is not a problem that can be
solved in a few months,” he said. “But we have put electricity on a new track,
including plans for new power plants and reforms to the distribution
network.”Regarding banking, Salam assured depositors with less than $100,000
that they would recover their funds within four years. Depositors with larger
amounts would be issued bonds supported by banking assets. Looking ahead to
elections, Salam confirmed his commitment to holding parliamentary elections on
schedule. He indicated that he would consider serving another term if reform
opportunities continue, but stressed that he is not motivated by power. “I am
not a ‘chair chaser,’” he said.
The Latest English LCCC Miscellaneous
Reports And News published
on January 01-02/2026
Syrian government foils Daesh plot to attack churches and New Year
celebrations
SANA/AFP/January 02, 2026
ALEPPO, DAMASCUS: The Syrian Interior Ministry announced on Thursday that it had
thwarted a Daesh plot to carry out suicide attacks targeting New Year
celebrations and churches, particularly in Aleppo. The ministry said in a
statement that, as part of ongoing counterterrorism efforts and careful
monitoring of Daesh cells in cooperation with partner agencies, it had received
intelligence indicating plans for suicide attacks targeting New Year
celebrations in several provinces, particularly Aleppo, with a focus on churches
and civilian gathering areas. The ministry added that it took preemptive
measures, including reinforcing security around churches, deploying mobile and
fixed patrols, and setting up checkpoints across the city. During operations at
a checkpoint in Aleppo’s Bab Al-Faraj district, security forces intercepted a
suspected Daesh member who opened fire. One internal security soldier was
killed, and the attacker detonated explosives, injuring two others. Daesh
recently increased its attacks in Syria, and was blamed for an attack last month
in Palmyra that killed three Americans. On Dec. 13, two US soldiers and an
American civilian were killed in an attack Washington blamed on a lone Daesh
gunman in Palmyra. In retaliation, American forces struck scores of Daesh
targets in Syria. Syrian authorities have also carried out several operations
against Daesh since then, saying on Dec. 25 they had killed a senior leader of
the group.
Syria’s Interior Minister
Warns Remnants of Former Regime
Damascus: Asharq Al Awsat/January 01/2026
Syrian Interior Minister Anas Khattab has warned the remnants of the former
regime against efforts to lead chaos, killing, and destruction as his ministry
announced the arrest of several people in Latakia and Tartus for involvement in
war crimes and instigations that threaten civil peace. Khattab stressed on
Wednesday that the state is the sole guarantor for all citizens, ensuring their
security, preserving their dignity, and safeguarding their rights. The minister
said in a statement on X that since the early days following Syria’s liberation,
the ministry has positioned itself as a central force in restoring order and
safety across the country. This effort has been carried out in coordination with
other government agencies and local communities to confront a wide range of
security challenges. Khattab stressed that the ministry’s new approach to
policing prioritizes public safety over intimidation. “Our goal is to protect
citizens, not to frighten them,” he said, adding that a formal code of conduct
has been introduced to ensure law enforcement operates within clear legal and
ethical boundaries. Despite these reforms, remnants of the deposed regime who
have aligned themselves with wanted criminals have misinterpreted the ministry’s
ethical approach as weakness. “We will protect the oppressed and hold
accountable anyone who threatens our country’s security,” he said. The minister
warned the remnants of the defunct regime and their criminal gangs, who insist
on continuing the path of chaos, killing, and destruction to “await their
inevitable fate.”“Let this message serve as a final warning to them to cease
their actions,” he added. Meanwhile, the ministry said on its Telegram channel
that several people were arrested in operations in Latakia and Tartus after
external calls by instigators have led to sectarian chaos and left many people
dead and injured.
“The operation came in response to external inciting calls of a sectarian
nature, which led to a state of chaos, the death of a number of people, the
injury of others, and assaults on public and private property,” it said, noting
that “operations are ongoing against these corrupt individuals.”The ministry
said in its statement that it has played an active role in restoring the social
fabric and strengthening civil peace. However, “some parties have sought to
exploit this stage to spread chaos, undermine security, and threaten stability.”
Palestinian, 26, shot dead in village south of Nablus
Arab News/January 01, 2026
NABLUS: A Palestinian man was killed and another wounded on Thursday in the
village of Al-Lubban Ash-Sharqiya, south of Nablus, the Palestinian Authority’s
WAFA news agency reported. The village council said that 26-year-old Khattab
Mohammed Ismail Al-Sarhan Daraghmeh succumbed to gunshot wounds inflicted by
Israeli forces earlier that morning. The Palestinian Civil Affairs Authority
informed the Ministry of Health of Daraghmeh’s death, adding that Israeli
authorities were withholding his body.
Local sources confirmed that Daraghmeh was shot near the southern entrance to
the village, while another young man sustained injuries but was described as
stable and transferred to Salfit Governmental Hospital for treatment.
Israeli forces closed the main entrance to the village of Al-Lubban Al-Sharqiya
and blocked several secondary roads on Wednesday, the WAFA news agency added.
More than 1,000 Palestinians were killed in the West Bank between October 2023
and October 2025, mostly in operations by security forces and some by settler
violence, the UN has said. Over the same period, 57 Israelis were killed in
Palestinian attacks.
Also on Thursday, Israeli forces demolished two Palestinian villas east of
Jericho and issued a demolition order for a third. Security sources said Israeli
bulldozers, accompanied by military vehicles, stormed Jericho and demolished an
inhabited villa belonging to the Jerusalemite resident Hussein Jaber, and
another newly built villa owned by the Al-Ajlouni family. The forces issued a
demolition order against another villa in the same area belonging to Aziz Basah.
The destruction is part of the ongoing policy of harassment, intimidation, and
targeting of Palestinians and their properties. Israeli bulldozers also began
tearing up an agricultural road in the village of Yasuf, east of Salfit. Wael
Abu Madi, head of the Yasuf village council, said the bulldozers entered the
eastern area of the village, known as “Harayeq Abdul Razzaq,” and began
demolishing and destroying the agricultural road. He said the road is a vital
artery serving dozens of farmers in the area and providing access to their
farmland.
Young Palestinian boy drowns in muddy water flooding his
Gaza tent camp, UN says
AP/January 01, 2026
JERUSALEM: The UN said Thursday that a Palestinian boy in the Gaza Strip drowned
in floods that engulfed his tent camp, with videos showing rescuers trying to
pry his body out of muddy waters by pulling him by the ankle. It was the latest
sign of the miseries that winter is inflicting on the territory’s population,
with many left homeless by the devastation from two years of war. Health
officials also reported the death of another 9 year-old boy in Gaza Thursday,
but the circumstances were not clear.
Meanwhile, in the West Bank, Israeli forces carried out a sweep of arrests,
seizing around 50 Palestinians, many from their homes, a Palestinian group
representing prisoners said. As 2026 begins, the shaky 12-week-old ceasefire
between Israel and Hamas has largely ended large-scale Israeli bombardment of
Gaza. But Palestinians are still being killed almost daily by Israeli fire, and
the humanitarian crisis shows no signs of abating. At least three Israeli
soldiers have died in Gaza since the ceasefire came down, killed by militant
attacks or explosive detonations.
Young boy drowned from flooding
UNICEF said Thursday that 7-year-old Ata Mai had drowned Saturday in severe
flooding that engulfed his tent camp in Gaza City. Mai’s was the latest child
death reported in Gaza as storms, cold weather and flooding worsen already
brutal living conditions. Almost the entire population of more than 2 million
people have lost their homes, and most are living in squalid tent camps with
little protection from the weather. UNICEF said Mai had been living with his
younger siblings and family in a camp of around 40 tents. They lost their mother
earlier in the war.
Video from Civil Defense teams, shown on Al Jazeera, showed rescue workers
trying to get Mai’s body out of what appeared to be a pit filled with muddy
water surrounded by wreckage of bombed buildings. The men waded into the water,
pulling at the boy’s ankle, the only part of his body visible. Later, the body
is shown wrapped in a muddy cloth being loaded into an ambulance. Over past
weeks, cold winter rains have repeatedly lashed the sprawling tent cities,
causing flooding, turning Gaza’s dirt roads into mud and causing buildings
damaged in Israeli bombardment to collapse. UNICEF says at least six children,
including Mai, have now died of weather-related causes, including a 4-year-old
who died in a building collapse. The Gaza Ministry of Health says three children
have died of hypothermia. “Teams visiting displacement camps reported appalling
conditions that no child should endure, with many tents blown away or collapsing
entirely,” said Edouard Beigbeder, regional director for UNICEF’s Middle East
and North Africa division.
West Bank arrest raid
The Palestinian Prisoner’s Society said Israeli troops had arrested at least 50
Palestinians across the West Bank and interrogated many of them overnight. Most
of the arrests occurred in the Ramallah area, said the group, which is an
official body within the Palestinian Authority. “These operations were
accompanied by widespread raids, abuse and assault against detainees and their
families, in addition to extensive acts of vandalism and destruction inside
citizens’ homes,” the group alleged. Israel’s military did not immediately
comment on the raid. The society says that Israel has arrested 7,000
Palestinians in the West Bank and Jerusalem this year, and 21,000 since the war
began Oct. 7, 2023. The number arrested from Gaza is not made public by Israel.
Violence in the West Bank has surged during the war in Gaza, with the Israeli
military carrying out large-scale operations targeting militants that have
killed hundreds of Palestinians and displaced tens of thousands. There has also
been a rise in Israeli settler violence and Palestinian attacks on Israelis.
Boy in Gaza dies
A nine-year-old boy, Youssef Shandaghi, died in Jabaliya in northern Gaza, not
far from the so-called “Yellow Line,” the ceasefire demarcation between the more
than half of the Gaza Strip still held by the Israeli military and the rest of
the territory, where most of the population lives. Two officials from Gaza’s
Shifa Hospital, Director Mohammed Abu Selmiya and Managing Director Rami Mhanna,
said the boy was killed by Israeli gunfire coming from across the Yellow Line.
Abu Selmiya cited the report from the doctor who received Shandaghi’s body.
Israel’s military said it had no knowledge of the incident. But an uncle of the
boy said he was killed by unexploded ordnance he had come across while playing.
It was not immediately possible to reconcile the conflicting accounts. Israeli
troops almost daily open fire on Palestinians who come too close to the Yellow
Line, often killing or wounding some, according to medical personnel and
witnesses. The Israeli military says it fires warning shots if someone crosses
the line and fires at anyone judged to be posing a threat to troops. It has
acknowledged some civilians have been killed, including young children. Since
the ceasefire began, 416 Palestinians have been killed and 1,142 wounded in
Gaza, according to the Health Ministry. The overall Palestinian death toll from
the war is at least 71,271. The ministry, which does not distinguish between
militants and civilians in its count, is staffed by medical professionals and
maintains detailed records viewed as generally reliable by the international
community.
Hoping for better year ahead, Gazans bid farewell to
‘nightmare’
AFP/December 31, 2025
GAZA CITY: As 2025 draws to a close, Palestinians in Gaza are marking the new
year not with celebration, but with exhaustion, grief and a fragile hope that
their “endless nightmare” might finally end. For residents of the battered
territory, daily life is a struggle for survival. Much of Gaza’s infrastructure
lies in ruins, electricity remains scarce and hundreds of thousands of people
live in makeshift tents after being repeatedly displaced by the two years of
fighting that began with Hamas’s attack on Israel in October 2023. “We in the
Gaza Strip are living in an endless nightmare,” said Hanaa Abu Amra, a displaced
woman in her thirties living in Gaza City. “We hope that this nightmare will end
in 2026 ... The least we can ask for is a normal life — to see electricity
restored, the streets return to normal and to walk without tents lining the
roads,” she said. Across Gaza, a territory of more than 2 million people, scenes
of hardship are commonplace. The outgoing year brought relentless loss and fear,
said Shireen Al-Kayali. “We bid farewell to 2025 with deep sorrow and grief,”
she said. “We lost a lot of people and our possessions. We lived a difficult and
harsh life, displaced from one city to another, under bombardment and in
terror.” Her experience reflects that of countless Gazans who have been forced
to flee repeatedly, often with little warning, taking with them only what they
could carry. Entire families have been uprooted, livelihoods destroyed, and
communities fragmented as the war dragged on for two years. Despite the
devastation, some residents cling to the belief that the new year might bring an
end to the fighting and a chance to rebuild. For many Gazans, hope has become an
act of resilience, particularly after the truce that came into effect on October
10 and has largely halted the fighting. “We still hope for a better life in the
new year, and I call on the free world to help our oppressed people so we can
regain our lives,” said Khaled Abdel Majid, 50, who lives in a tent in Jabalia
camp. Faten Al-Hindawi hoped the truce would finally end the war. “We will bid
farewell to 2025, leaving behind its pain, and we hope that 2026 will be a year
of hope, prayer, determination and success stories.”
UN chief condemns Israeli law blocking electricity, water
for UNRWA facilities
Reuters/January 01, 2026
The agency provides education, health and aid to millions of Palestinians in
Gaza, the West Bank, Jordan, Lebanon and Syria. United Nations Secretary General
Antonio Guterres condemned on Wednesday a move by Israel to ban electricity or
water to facilities owned by the UN Palestinian refugee agency, a UN
spokesperson said. The spokesperson said the move would “further impede” the
agency’s ability to operate and carry out activities. “The Convention on the
Privileges and Immunities of the United Nations remains applicable to UNRWA
(United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near
East), its property and assets, and to its officials and other personnel.
Property used by UNRWA is inviolable,” Stephane Dujarric, spokesman for the
secretary-general, said while adding that UNRWA is an “integral” part of the
world body. UNRWA Commissioner General Phillipe Lazzarini also condemned the
move, saying that it was part of an ongoing “ systematic campaign to discredit UNRWA and
thereby obstruct” the role it plays in providing assistance to Palestinian
refugees. In 2024, the Israeli parliament passed a law banning the agency from
operating in the country and prohibiting officials from having contact with the
agency. As a result, UNRWA operates in East Jerusalem, which the UN considers
territory occupied by Israel. Israel considers all Jerusalem to be part of the
country. The agency provides education, health and aid to millions of
Palestinians in Gaza, the West Bank, Jordan, Lebanon and Syria. It has long had
tense relations with Israel but ties have deteriorated sharply since the start
of the war in Gaza and Israel has called repeatedly for UNRWA to be disbanded,
with its responsibilities transferred to other UN agencies. The prohibition of
basic utilities to the UN agency came as Israel also suspended of dozens of
international non-governmental organizations working in Gaza due to a failure to
meet new rules to vet those groups. In a joint statement, Canada, Denmark,
Finland, France, Iceland, Japan, Norway, Sweden, Switzerland and the United
Kingdom said on Tuesday such a move would have a severe impact on the access of
essential services, including health care. They said one in three health care
facilities in Gaza would close if international NGO operations stopped.
Israel Says It ‘Will Enforce’ Ban
on 37 NGOs in Gaza
Asharq Al Awsat/January 01/2026
Israel said on Thursday that 37 international NGOs operating in Gaza had not
complied with a deadline to meet "security and transparency standards," in
particular disclosing information on their Palestinian staff, and that it "will
enforce" a ban on their activities. The groups will now be required to cease
their operations by March 1, which the United Nations has warned will exacerbate
the humanitarian crisis in the war-ravaged Palestinian territory. "Organizations
that have failed to meet required security and transparency standards will have
their licenses suspended," the Ministry of Diaspora Affairs and Combating
Antisemitism said in a statement on Thursday. Several NGOS have said the
requirements contravene international humanitarian law or endanger their
independence, while Israel has faced international criticism in the run-up to
the deadline. Israel says the new regulation aims to prevent bodies it
accuses of supporting terrorism from operating in the Palestinian territories.
"The primary failure identified was the refusal to provide complete and
verifiable information regarding their employees, a critical requirement
designed to prevent the infiltration of terrorist operatives into humanitarian
structures," the ministry said. In March, Israel gave a ten-month deadline to
NGOs to comply with the new rules, which demand the "full disclosure of
personnel, funding sources, and operational structures." The deadline expired on
Wednesday. The 37 NGOs "were formally notified that their licenses would be
revoked as of January 1, 2026, and that they must complete the cessation of
their activities by March 1, 2026," the ministry said Thursday.
'Weaponization of bureaucracy' -
Minister of Diaspora Affairs and Combating Antisemitism Amichai Chikli said:
"The message is clear: humanitarian assistance is welcome - the exploitation of
humanitarian frameworks for terrorism is not." Numerous prominent humanitarian
organizations have been hit by the ban, including Doctors Without Borders (MSF),
World Vision International and Oxfam, according to the list provided by the
ministry. In the case of MSF, Israel accused it of having two employees
who were members of Palestinian groups Islamic Jihad and Hamas. MSF said earlier
this week that the request to share a list of its staff "may be in violation of
Israel's obligations under international humanitarian law" and said it "would
never knowingly employ people engaging in military activity". On Thursday, 18
Israel-based left-wing NGOs denounced the decision to ban their international
peers, saying "the new registration framework violates core humanitarian
principles of independence and neutrality." "This weaponization of bureaucracy
institutionalizes barriers to aid and forces vital organizations to suspend
operations," they said. On Wednesday, United Nations rights chief Volker Turk
described Israel's decision as "outrageous", calling on states to urgently
insist Israel shift course. "Such arbitrary suspensions make an already
intolerable situation even worse for the people of Gaza," he said. UN
Palestinian refugee agency chief Philippe Lazzarini said the move sets a
"dangerous precedent". "Failing to push back against attempts to control the
work of aid organizations will further undermine the basic humanitarian
principles of neutrality, independence, impartiality and humanity underpinning
aid work across the world," he said on X.
'Catastrophic' -
On Tuesday, the foreign ministers of 10 countries, including France and the
United Kingdom, urged Israel to "guarantee access" to aid in the Gaza Strip,
where they said the humanitarian situation remains "catastrophic". A fragile
ceasefire has been in place in Gaza since October, following a deadly war waged
by Israel in response to Hamas's unprecedented attack on Israeli territory on
October 7, 2023. Conditions for the civilian population in the Gaza Strip remain
dire, with nearly 80 percent of buildings destroyed or damaged by the war,
according to UN data. About 1.5 million of Gaza's more than two million
residents have lost their homes, said Amjad Al-Shawa, director of the
Palestinian NGO Network in Gaza.
One Dead as Israeli Forces Open Fire on West Bank Stone-Throwers
Asharq Al Awsat/January 01/2026
The Israeli military said its forces killed a Palestinian in the occupied West
Bank in the early hours on Thursday as they opened fire on people who were
throwing stones at soldiers. Two other people were hit on a main road near the
village of Luban al-Sharqiya in Nablus, the military statement added. It
described the people as militants and said the stone-throwing was part of an
ambush. Palestinian authorities in the West Bank said a 26-year-old man they
named as Khattab Al Sarhan was killed and another person wounded. Israeli
forces had closed the main entrance to the village of Luban al-Sharqiya, in
Nablus, and blocked several secondary roads on Wednesday, the Palestinian
Authority's official news agency WAFA reported. More than a thousand
Palestinians were killed in the West Bank between October 2023 and October 2025,
mostly in operations by security forces and some by settler violence, the UN has
said.
Over the same period, 57 Israelis were killed in Palestinian attacks.
Israel’s Netanyahu Among Partygoers at Trump’s New Year’s Eve Fete
Asharq Al Awsat/January 01/2026
US President Donald Trump hosted Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at a
glittering New Year's Eve party at his lavish Mar-a-Lago resort on Wednesday,
according to social media. Netanyahu, who arrived at the US president's Palm
Beach residence on Monday, was spotted alongside tuxedo-clad Trump Wednesday
night in a social media post from conservative influencer Michael
Solakiewicz.Trump had joked that the Israeli leader could attend the party
during meetings Monday to discuss the fragile Gaza ceasefire and other regional
geopolitical concerns in the Middle East. The party guest list included Trump's
ardent supporters Rudy Giuliani, along with his sons Eric and Don Jr., and top
members of his administration, including Department of Homeland Security
Secretary Kristi Noem and White House deputy chief of staff Dan Scavino. The
Gaza ceasefire in October is one of the major achievements of Trump's first year
back in power, but some White House officials fear Netanyahu is slow-walking the
process. This week, Trump downplayed reports of tensions with Netanyahu over the
second stage of the ceasefire, saying that Israel had "lived up" to its
commitments and that the onus was on Palestinian group Hamas. Siding with the
Israeli premier, Trump said he was "not concerned about anything that Israel's
doing." This week's talks mark the fifth such meeting in the United States since
Trump's return to power this year.
EU warns Yemen developments risk Gulf stability
Reuters/January 01, 2026
The European Union said on Wednesday that recent developments in the Yemeni
provinces of Hadramout and Al Mahra threaten to bring new risks to the Gulf
region. “The EU calls for de-escalation and avoiding steps that further
threaten stability of Yemen and the region,” an EU spokesperson said in a
statement. “The EU reiterates its strong commitment to the unity, sovereignty,
independence and territorial integrity of Yemen, as well as its support for the
Presidential Leadership Council and the Government of Yemen,” the spokesperson
added.
Member of Iranian Security Forces Reportedly Killed During
Protests
Asharq Al Awsat/January 01/2026
A member of Iran's security forces was killed during protests that have swept
across the country since last week, state television reported on Thursday citing
a regional official, marking the first fatality among security forces during the
protests."A 21-year-old member of the Basij from the city of Kouhdasht was
killed last night (Wednesday) by rioters while defending public order," the
channel said, citing Said Pourali, the deputy governor of Lorestan Province.
Another 13 Basij members and police officers suffered injuries, he added. “The
protests that have occurred are due to economic pressures, inflation and
currency fluctuations, and are an expression of livelihood concerns," Pourali
said. "The voices of citizens must be heard carefully and tactfully, but people
must not allow their demands to be strained by profit-seeking individuals.”The
protests took place in the city of Kouhdasht, over 400 kilometers southwest of
Tehran. Iran's government under President Masoud Pezeshkian has been trying to
signal it wants to negotiate with protesters. However, Pezeshkian has
acknowledged there is not much he can do as Iran's rial currency has rapidly
depreciated, with $1 now costing some 1.4 million rials. Meanwhile, state
television separately reported on the arrests of seven people, including five it
described as monarchists and two others it said had linked to European-based
groups. State TV also said another operation saw security forces confiscate 100
smuggled pistols, without elaborating. The protests have become the biggest in
Iran since 2022, when the death of 22-year-old Mahsa Amini in police custody
triggered nationwide demonstrations.
Fresh clashes kill six in
Iran cost-of-living protests
AFP/January 01, 2026
TEHRAN: Protesters and security forces clashed in several Iranian cities on
Thursday, with six reported killed, the first deaths since the cost-of-living
demonstrations broke out. The protests began on Sunday in Tehran, where
shopkeepers went on strike over high prices and economic stagnation, and have
since spread to other parts of the country. On Thursday, Iran’s Fars news agency
reported two people killed in clashes between security forces and protesters in
the city of Lordegan, in the province of Chaharmahal and Bakhtiari, and three in
Azna, in neighboring Lorestan province.
“Some protesters began throwing stones at the city’s administrative buildings,
including the provincial governor’s office, the mosque, the Martyrs’ Foundation,
the town hall and banks,” Fars said of Lordegan, adding that police responded
with tear gas. Fars reported that the buildings were “severely damaged” and that
police arrested several people described as “ringleaders.”In Azna, Fars said
“rioters took advantage of a protest gathering... to attack a police
commissariat.”During previous protest movements, state media has labelled
demonstrators “rioters.” Earlier Thursday, state television reported that a
member of Iran’s security forces was killed overnight during protests in the
western city of Kouhdasht. “A 21-year-old member of the Basij from the city of
Kouhdasht was killed last night by rioters while defending public order,” the
channel said, citing Said Pourali, the deputy governor of Lorestan Province.The
Basij are a volunteer paramilitary force linked to Iran’s Revolutionary Guards,
the ideological branch of the Islamic republic’s army. Pourali said that “during
the demonstrations in Kouhdasht, 13 police officers and Basij members were
injured by stone throwing.”In the western city of Hamedan, protesters torched a
motorbike in what the Tasnim news agency described as an unsuccessful attempt to
burn down a mosque. The same agency reported on Thursday that 30 people in a
district of Tehran had been arrested the night before for alleged public order
offenses in a “coordinated operation by the security and intelligence services.”
‘End up in hell’ -
The demonstrations are smaller than the last major outbreak of unrest in 2022,
triggered by the death in custody of Mahsa Amini, who was arrested for allegedly
violating Iran’s strict dress code for women. Her death sparked a nationwide
wave of anger that left several hundred people dead, including dozens of members
of the security forces. The latest protests began in the capital and spread
after students from at least 10 universities joined in on Tuesday.Iranian
President Masoud Pezeshkian has sought to calm tensions, acknowledging
protesters’ “legitimate demands,” and he urged the government Thursday to take
action to improve the economic situation. “From an Islamic perspective... if we
do not resolve the issue of people’s livelihoods, we will end up in Hell,”
Pezeshkian said at an event broadcast on state television. Authorities, however,
have also promised to take a “firm” stance, and have warned against exploiting
the situation to sow chaos. Local media coverage of the demonstrations has
varied, with some outlets focusing on economic difficulties, and others on
incidents caused by “troublemakers.”Iran is in the middle of an extended
weekend, with the authorities declaring Wednesday a bank holiday at the last
minute, citing the need to save energy during the cold weather.
They made no official link to the protests.
The weekend in Iran begins on Thursday, and Saturday is a long-standing national
holiday.Iran’s prosecutor general said on Wednesday that peaceful economic
protests were legitimate, but any attempt to create insecurity would be met with
a “decisive response.”“Any attempt to turn economic protests into a tool of
insecurity, destruction of public property, or implementation of externally
designed scenarios will inevitably be met with a legal, proportionate and
decisive response.”
Viral video
Earlier this week, a video showing a person sitting in the middle of a Tehran
street facing down motorcycle police went viral on social media, with some
seeing it as a “Tiananmen moment” — a reference to the famous image of a Chinese
protester defying a column of tanks during 1989 anti-government protests in
Beijing. On Thursday, state television alleged the footage had been staged to
“create a symbol” and aired another video purportedly shot from another angle by
a police officer’s camera. Sitting cross-legged, the protester remains
impassive, head bowed, before covering his head with his jacket as behind him a
crowd flees clouds of tear gas. On Wednesday evening, Tasnim reported the arrest
of seven people it described as being affiliated with “groups hostile to the
Islamic Republic based in the United States and Europe.”It said they had been
“tasked with turning the demonstrations into violence.” Tasnim did not say when
they were arrested. The national currency, the rial, has lost more than a third
of its value against the US dollar over the past year, while double-digit
hyperinflation has been undermining Iranians’ purchasing power for years.
The inflation rate in December was 52 percent year-on-year, according to the
Statistical Center of Iran, an official body.
Thousands stage pro-Gaza rally in Istanbul
AFP/January 01, 2026
ISTANBUL: Thousands joined a New Year’s Day rally for Gaza in Istanbul Thursday,
waving Palestinian and Turkish flags and calling for an end to the violence in
the tiny war-torn territory. Demonstrators gathered in freezing temperatures
under cloudless blue skies to march to the city’s Galata Bridge for a rally
under the slogan: “We won’t remain silent, we won’t forget Palestine,” an AFP
reporter at the scene said. More than 400 civil society organizations were
present at the rally, one of whose organizers was Bilal Erdogan, the youngest
son of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. Police sources and Anadolou state
news agency said some 500,000 people had joined the march at which there were
speeches and a performance by Lebanese-born singer Maher Zain of his song “Free
Palestine.”“We are praying that 2026 will bring goodness for our entire nation
and for the oppressed Palestinians,” said Erdogan, who chairs the board of the
Ilim Yayma Foundation, an educational charity that was one of the organizers of
the march. Turkiye has been one of the most vocal critics of the war in Gaza and
helped broker a recent ceasefire that halted the deadly war waged by Israel in
response to Hamas’s unprecedented attack on October 7, 2023. But the fragile
October 10 ceasefire has not stopped the violence with more than more than 400
Palestinians killed since it took hold.
Libya says UK to analyze black box from crash that killed general
AFP/January 01, 2026
TRIPOLI: Libya said on Thursday that Britain had agreed to analyze the black box
from a plane crash in Turkiye on December 23 that killed a Libyan military
delegation, including the head of its army. General Mohammed Al-Haddad and four
aides died after a visit to Ankara, with Turkish officials saying an electrical
failure caused their Falcon 50 jet to crash shortly after takeoff. Three crew
members, two of them French, were also killed. The aircraft’s black box flight
recorder was found on farmland near the crash site. “We coordinated directly
with Britain for the analysis” of the black box, Mohamed Al-Chahoubi, transport
minister in the Government of National Unity (GNU), said at a press conference
in Tripoli. General Haddad was very popular in Libya despite deep divisions
between west and east. The North African country has been split since a
NATO-backed revolt toppled and killed longtime leader Muammar Qaddafi in 2011.
Haddad was chief of staff for the internationally recognized GNU, which controls
the west. The east is run by military ruler Khalifa Haftar. Chahoubi told AFP a
request for the analysis was “made to Germany, which demanded France’s
assistance” to examine the aircraft’s flight recorders.
“However, the Chicago Convention stipulates that the country analizing the black
box must be neutral,” he said. “Since France is a manufacturer of the aircraft
and the crew was French, it is not qualified to participate. The United Kingdom,
on the other hand, was accepted by Libya and Turkiye.”After meeting the British
ambassador to Tripoli on Tuesday, Foreign Minister Taher Al-Baour said a joint
request had been submitted by Libya and Turkiye to Britain “to obtain technical
and legal support for the analysis of the black box.” Chahoubi told Thursday’s
press briefing that Britain “announced its agreement, in coordination with the
Libyan Ministry of Transport and the Turkish authorities.” He said it was not
yet possible to say how long it would take to retrieve the flight data, as this
depended on the state of the black box. “The findings will be made public once
they are known,” Chahoubi said, warning against “false information” and urging
the public not to pay attention to rumors.
Crown prince, Qatar Emir discuss regional developments in
phone call
Arab News/January 01, 2026
RIYADH: Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman spoke on the phone on Thursday with
Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani, Emir of Qatar. During the call, the two leaders
reviewed the fraternal relations between Saudi Arabia and Qatar and discussed
ways to strengthen and develop cooperation, in addition to exchanging views on
regional and international developments, the Saudi Press Agency reported.
Saudi Arabia seizes millions of narcotic pills in 2025
Arab News/January 01, 2026
RIYADH: The Saudi Zakat, Tax and Customs Authority achieved remarkable security
results in 2025, thwarting numerous smuggling attempts across land, air and sea
customs ports. These efforts form part of its crucial role in protecting society
and strengthening the Kingdom’s security, carried out in close coordination with
relevant security agencies. During the year, the authority reported the seizure
of 24 million narcotic and prohibited pills and 1,417 kg of other prohibited
substances. The implementation of advanced control procedures, the adoption of
modern security technologies and the enhanced efficiency of customs personnel at
all ports of entry drove the success. The authority highlighted that continuous
coordination and integrated operations with the General Directorate of Narcotics
Control led to the arrest of individuals attempting to receive the seized
substances within the Kingdom, demonstrating the effectiveness of collaborative
security efforts in combating drug smuggling.
Flash floods triggered by heavy rains in Afghanistan kill
at least 17 people
AP/January 01, 2026
KABUL: The season’s first heavy rains and snowfall ended a prolonged dry spell
but triggered flash floods in several areas of Afghanistan, killing at least 17
people and injuring 11 others, a spokesman for Afghanistan’s national disaster
management authority said Thursday. The severe weather also disrupted daily life
across central, northern, southern, and western regions, according to Mohammad
Yousaf Hammad, who is spokesman for Afghanistan National Disaster Management
Authority. He said the floods also damaged infrastructure in the affected
districts, killed livestock, and affected 1,800 families, worsening conditions
in already vulnerable urban and rural communities. Hammad said the agency has
sent assessment teams to the worst-affected areas, with surveys ongoing to
determine further needs. Afghanistan, like neighboring Pakistan and India, is
highly vulnerable to extreme weather events, particularly flash floods following
seasonal rains. Decades of conflict, poor infrastructure, deforestation, and the
intensifying effects of climate change have amplified the impact of such
disasters, especially in remote areas where many homes are made of mud and offer
limited protection against sudden deluges.
Fire ravages Amsterdam church on ‘unsettled’ Dutch New Year
AFP/January 01, 2026
The Hague: A huge inferno gutted a 19th century Amsterdam church Thursday, as
the Netherlands endured an unsettled New Year’s Eve with two dead from fireworks
and “unprecedented” violence against police. The blaze broke out in the early
hours at the Vondelkerk, a tourist attraction that has overlooked one of the
city’s top parks since 1872. The 50-meter-high (164-foot) tower collapsed and
the roof was badly damaged but the structure was expected to remain intact,
Amsterdam authorities said. The cause of the blaze was not immediately clear.
The head of the Dutch Police Union, Nine Kooiman, reported an “unprecedented
amount of violence against police and emergency services” over New Year’s Eve.
She said she herself had been pelted three times by fireworks and other
explosives as she worked a shift in Amsterdam. Shortly after midnight,
authorities released a rare country-wide alert on mobile phones warning people
not to call overwhelmed emergency services unless lives were at risk. Reports of
attacks against police and firefighters were widespread across the country. In
the southern city of Breda, people threw petrol bombs at police. Two people, a
17-year-old boy and a 38-year-old man, were killed in fireworks accidents. Three
others were seriously injured. The eye hospital in Rotterdam said it had treated
14 patients, including 10 minors, for eye injuries. Two received surgery. It was
the last year before an expected ban on unofficial fireworks, so the Dutch
bought them in massive quantities. According to the Dutch Pyrotechnics
Association, revellers splashed out a record 129 million euros ($151 million) on
fireworks. Some areas had been designated firework-free zones, but this appeared
to have little effect. An AFP journalist in such a zone in The Hague reported
loud bangs until around 3am. In Germany, two 18-year-olds died in the western
city of Bielefeld when they set off home-made fireworks that produced “deadly
facial injuries,” local police said in a statement.
Ukraine says overnight Russian drone attack damaged power
infrastructure
Reuters/January 01, 2026
KYIV: A Russian drone attack damaged power infrastructure in several Ukrainian
regions overnight, Ukraine’s energy ministry said on Thursday. The ministry said
a “significant number” of households in the Volyn and Odesa regions — in
northwestern and southwestern Ukraine, respectively — were disconnected from
power supplies by the strike, as well as some in the Chernihiv region north
of the capital Kyiv. The governor of Volyn said more than 103,000 households in
that region had lost power as a result of the attack. Volyn region is several
hundred kilometers from the front line and borders NATO member Poland.
128 journalists killed worldwide in 2025: press group
AFP/January 01, 2026
The press group voiced particular alarm over the situation in the Palestinian
territories, where it recorded 56 media professionals killed in 2025 BRUSSELS,
Belgium: A total of 128 journalists were killed around the world in 2025, more
than half of them in the Middle East, the International Federation of
Journalists (IFJ) said Thursday. The grim toll, up from 2024, “is not just a
statistic, it’s a global red alert for our colleagues,” IFJ general secretary
Anthony Bellanger told AFP. The press group voiced particular alarm over the
situation in the Palestinian territories, where it recorded 56 media
professionals killed in 2025 as Israel’s war with Hamas ground on in Gaza.
“We’ve never seen anything like this: so many deaths in such a short time, in
such a small area,” Bellanger said. Journalists were also killed in Yemen,
Ukraine, Sudan, Peru, India and elsewhere. Bellanger condemned what he called
“impunity” for those behind the attacks. “Without justice, it allows the killers
of journalists to thrive,” he warned. Meanwhile, the IFJ said that across the
globe 533 journalists were currently in prison — a figure that has more than
doubled over the past half-decade. China once again topped the list as the worst
jailer of reporters with 143 behind bars, including in Hong Kong, where
authorities have been criticized by Western nations for imposing national
security laws quashing dissent. The IFJ’s count for the number of journalists
killed is typically far higher than that of Reporters Without Borders, due to
different counting methods. This year’s IFJ toll also included nine accidental
deaths. Reporters Without Borders said 67 journalists were killed in the course
of their work this year, while UNESCO puts the figure at 93.
Zohran Mamdani Sworn in as
New York City Mayor at Historic Subway Station
Zohran Mamdani became mayor of New York City just after midnight Thursday,
taking the oath of office at an historic, decommissioned subway station in
Manhattan. Mamdani, a Democrat, was sworn in as the first Muslim leader of
America’s biggest city, placing his hand on a holy Quran as he took his oath.
"This is truly the honor and the privilege of a lifetime," Mamdani said in a
brief speech. The private ceremony, administered by New York Attorney General
Letitia James, a political ally, took place at the old City Hall station, one of
the city’s original subway stops that is known for its stunning arched ceilings.
In Mamdani's first remarks as mayor, he said the old subway station was a
"testament to the importance of public transit to the vitality, the health and
the legacy of our city" as he announced the appointment of his new Department of
Transportation commissioner, Mike Flynn. The new mayor then closed: "Thank you
all so much, now I will see you later," he said with a smile before heading up a
flight of stairs. Mamdani will be sworn in again, in grander style, in a public
ceremony at City Hall at 1 pm by US Sen. Bernie Sanders, one of the mayor’s
political heroes. That will be followed by what his office is billing as a
public block party on a stretch of Broadway known as the "Canyon of Heroes,"
famous for its ticker-tape parades. Mamdani now begins one of the most
unrelenting jobs in American politics as one of the country’s most-watched
politicians. In addition to being the city's first Muslim mayor, Mamdani is also
its first of South Asian descent and the first to be born in Africa. At 34,
Mamdani is also the city’s youngest mayor in generations.In a campaign that
helped make "affordability" a buzzword across the political spectrum, the
democratic socialist promised to bring transformative change with policies
intended to lower the cost of living in one of the world’s most expensive
cities. His platform included free childcare, free buses, a rent freeze for
about 1 million households, and a pilot of city-run grocery stores. But he will
also have to face other responsibilities: handling trash and snow and rats,
while getting blamed for subway delays and potholes.Mamdani was born in Kampala,
Uganda, the son of filmmaker Mira Nair and Mahmood Mamdani, an academic and
author. His family moved to New York City when he was 7, with Mamdani growing up
in a post-9/11 city where Muslims didn’t always feel welcome. He became an
American citizen in 2018. He worked on political campaigns for Democratic
candidates in the city before he sought public office himself, winning a state
Assembly seat in 2020 to represent a section of Queens. Mamdani and his wife,
Rama Duwaji, will depart their one-bedroom, rent stabilized apartment in the
outer-borough to take up residence in the stately mayoral residence in
Manhattan. Mamdani inherits a city on the upswing, after years of slow recovery
from the COVID-19 pandemic. Violent crime has dropped to pre-pandemic lows.
Tourists are back. Unemployment, which soared during the pandemic years, is also
back to pre-COVID levels. Yet deep concerns remain about high prices and rising
rents in the city. He’ll also have to deal with Republican President Donald
Trump. During the mayoral race, Trump threatened to withhold federal funding
from the city if Mamdani won and mused about sending National Guard troops to
the city. But Trump surprised supporters and foes alike by inviting the Democrat
to the White House for what ended up being a cordial meeting in November. "I
want him to do a great job and will help him do a great job," Trump said. Still,
tensions between the two leaders are almost certain to resurface, given their
deep policy disagreements, particularly over immigration.Mamdani also faces
skepticism and opposition from some members of the city’s Jewish community over
his criticisms of Israel’s government. The new mayor and his team have spent the
weeks since his election victory preparing for the transition, surrounding
Mamdani with seasoned hands who have worked inside or alongside city government.
That included persuading the city’s police commissioner, Jessica Tisch, to
remain in her position — a move that helped calm fears in the business community
that the administration might be planning radical changes in policing strategy.
The Latest English LCCC analysis & editorials from miscellaneous
sources published
on January 01-02/2026
Diplomacy sceptic diplomacy and pending wars
Dr. Charles Elias Chartouni/This Is
Beirut/January 01/2026
The long-awaited meeting between the US President and the Israeli Prime Minister
leaves us skeptical about the upcoming developments. Diplomacy continues as
usual, and violence on the ground does not stop. The question arises is how long
this random indetermination is fraught with uncontrollable risks and slip-ups.
Iran is grappling with its policy of sabotage, endless diplomatic maneuvers, and
instrumentalization of fragile states as platforms for proxy wars, theaters for
civil wars in the making, and prospective security fronts.
The terrorist movements of Hezbollah and Hamas are repositioned on the strategic
near-east chessboard in relays, domestic actors, and emblematic figures of the
left-wing Islamic movement seeking narrative in western democracies. In other
words, the rejection of diplomatic procedures, the pursuit of human shield
policy, and the impossibility of any approach to normalizing the ongoing
conflicts.
The frugality of this finding brings us back to the troubling question of
fluctuating interfaces between continuously suspended diplomacy and recurring
cycles of violence. This interval cannot be prolonged indefinitely, and at some
point it would have to be decided in favor of one or the other. Meanwhile, the
Iranian regime continues its race towards military nuclearization, attempts to
revive its policy of "integrated operational platforms," to entertain civil
wars, and to get on the Iranian opposition that denies it any legitimacy.
President Trump expressed himself on this, letting the Iranian regime know that
any negligence in the matter of the nuclearization of the military, and the
continuation of destabilization policies, constitute a case. Israelis, on their
part, pursue their policy of deterrence and prevention vigorously, establish
their lines of demarcation and fully invest themselves in the geostrategic
realities that they have imposed on the regional level. So, it's no longer a
matter of stepping back in a completely volatile geopolitical space. They are
now joining an alternative geopolitical movement and from an unprecedented
narrative.
The US administration has taken notice of geostrategic changes and is developing
its diplomatic and security approach based on the new game. This largely shows
the intermediate nature of this positioning and its inherent alternatives. The
U.S. will persist in this hybrid walk without forging the policy of definitive
and unilateral choices in case of seal blockade.
Diplomacy is a way of peace and not resignation, especially since the relations
of force are far from playing in favor of the Iranian regime whose only asset is
sabotage, proliferation of security fronts and institutionalization of chaos.
The choice of the regime's collapse will be made on the day when the cost of
abolishing it will be less detrimental than maintaining it. The structural
fragility of the Middle East states and the highly deletive nature of their
crime which has always served as a guard for regime change.
Lebanon has not yet been able to stop strategic choices after signing
commitments stating the end of military and political extraterritorialities.
Hezbollah and its allies have reinvested institutions and are preparing the way
for civil war. Hamas in Gaza refuses to engage in the second phase planned in
the truce agreements and clearly claims exclusivity of its grip on Gaza. The two
are unanimous in wanting to resume the war with Israel, no matter what. Iraqis
are forced to put civil peace and the Confederate regime back on the belt. As
Yemen resumes civil war path
The rejection of the negotiated solutions on the basis of the truce signed in
Lebanon and Gaza, and the delegitimization enterprises of state and para-state
executives in the Lebanese, Palestinian and Iraqi cases, doubled by the
institutionalized civil war in Yemen, raise reservations about the intentions of
the Iranian regime and his willingness to change his conduct. Paradoxically, his
state of extreme vulnerability does not seem to favour a more realistic attitude
more adaptable to the imperatives of a duly negotiated transition policy by the
moderate wing of the regime. Ideological blindness, religious mystification, the
interests of the ruling oligarchy, and aversion to any change explain this
impermeability to all alternative policies. The religious oligarchy and its
associates know firmly that change, whatever it may be, will seal the end of
this murderous dystopia.
U.S. hybrid diplomacy continues its navigation from a guiding scheme, that of
tie-down and diplomatic alternatives. The change of the Iranian regime and the
control of the Turkish imperialism that is inherited from Iranian imperialism.
Negotiation of security arrangements between Israel, Syria, Iraq and Lebanon.
This is a torturous path, high risk, which leaves little choice in case of
involuntary or deliberate blocking. We are still in the interim.
Thanks to Trump's 'Peace' Plan, Hamas Even Has Time to Hold Elections
Khaled Abu Toameh/Gatestone Institute/January 01/2026
https://www.gatestoneinstitute.org/22172/hamas-internal-election
[T]he Iran-backed Palestinian terror group Hamas is planning to elect a new
leader for its political bureau and replace many of its members who were killed
during the fighting with Israel. Hamas's goal: to show the world that it is not
going anywhere; that it now, because it holds an internal election, should be
considered a legitimate, respectable government, and that it solidly intends to
maintain its control of the Gaza Strip, in violation of US President Donald J.
Trump's 20-point peace plan.
The terror group has simply exploited Trump's ceasefire plan to rearm, regroup
and consolidate its civilian and military control in areas of the Gaza Strip in
which Israeli forces are not present since the ceasefire agreement took effect.
For Hamas, Trump's plan is just another temporary ceasefire that allows it to
entrench its position and restock its military capabilities.
"Hamas understood that overt control of the Strip would deter the international
community from transferring the funds required for reconstruction, delay the
rebuilding of the Strip and could spark civilian unrest, and therefore signaled
its willingness to transfer the civilian administration to a Palestinian
technocratic government, while refusing to disarm." — The Meir Amit Terrorism
Information Center, November 3, 2025.
Here is what the Trump administration needs to understand: Hamas, like ISIS, as
a deeply committed terrorist organization, has no right to exist. Its military,
civilian, and political infrastructure needs to be completely dismantled and
destroyed. Unfortunately, this is the only way to achieve security and stability
in the Middle East and prevent another October 7-style massacre against Israel.
Hamas seems more concerned about choosing new leaders in an internal election
than about rebuilding the Gaza Strip. The Trump administration needs to
understand that Hamas, like ISIS, as a deeply committed terrorist organization,
has no right to exist. Its military, civilian, and political infrastructure
needs to be completely dismantled and destroyed.
As part of its effort to emerge as a legitimate actor in the Palestinian arena
in the aftermath of the war in the Gaza Strip, the Iran-backed Palestinian
terror group Hamas is planning to elect a new leader for its political bureau
and replace many of its members who were killed during the fighting with Israel.
Hamas's goal: to show the world that it is not going anywhere; that it now,
because it holds an internal election, should be considered a legitimate,
respectable government, and that it solidly intends to maintain its control of
the Gaza Strip, in violation of US President Donald J. Trump's 20-point peace
plan.
According to a report in the Saudi-owned newspaper Asharq al-Awsat:
"Hamas is moving in the coming days to elect a new head of its political bureau,
in an effort to fill a leadership vacuum left by the killing of its former
chief, Yahya Sinwar, who died in October 2024 during clashes he fought alongside
his fighters in the southern Gaza city of Rafah."
The newspaper quoted unnamed sources in Hamas as saying that the election for
the group's political bureau chief would take place next week or within the
first 10 days of January 2026.
"According to the sources, electing a new head of the political bureau aims to
bolster internal stability and reassurance, and to send a clear message to the
outside world world that the movement remains cohesive and retains a leadership
cadre capability of managing all affairs and taking decisions by full consensus
within the political bureau, as was the case before the assassinations carried
out [by Israel] during the war....
"They noted that several members of the political bureau in Gaza have already
been tasked with managing various portfolios. The sources said members of the
political bureau killed by Israel inside Gaza have been temporarily replaced by
others to carry out their duties."
The report comes as the US administration is preparing to implement the second
phase of Trump's plan, which calls for replacing the Hamas government with a
committee of independent Palestinian technocrats under the supervision of an
international "Board of Peace" headed by the US president himself.
Hamas seems more concerned about electing new leaders than rebuilding the Gaza
Strip. Moreover, it seems more concerned about filling vacant positions inside
the Gaza Strip than stepping down and allowing other Palestinians or foreigners
to manage the affairs of the Palestinians there.
By replacing members of its political bureau killed by Israel inside the Gaza
Strip, Hamas is making it clear that it plans to stay in power and views itself
as a lawful partner in any future administration.
Although Hamas officials have reportedly expressed readiness to hand over the
Gaza Strip to a new committee of "apolitical figures," the terror group clearly
has no intention of laying down its weapons or vanishing.
The leaders of Hamas feel safe holding elections because they are living
comfortably in Qatar, which has long been a significant source of political and
financial support for both the Muslim Brotherhood and Hamas.
After their October 7, 2023 invasion of Israel, in which more than 1,200
Israelis and foreign nationals were murdered, Hamas leaders should not be
permitted to feel safe enough to even think about holding elections for their
political bureau. They should not be allowed to think that because they are
sitting in Qatar, they enjoy immunity and would never be held accountable for
the worst massacre perpetrated against Jews since the Holocaust.
There is no future for the Gaza Strip so long as Hamas is standing on its feet.
The terror group has simply exploited Trump's ceasefire plan to rearm, regroup
and consolidate its civilian and military control in areas of the Gaza Strip in
which Israeli forces are not present since the ceasefire agreement took effect.
For Hamas, Trump's plan is just another temporary ceasefire that allows it to
entrench its position and restock its military capabilities.
According to the Meir Amit Intelligence and Terrorism Information Center:
"[D]espite the severe blow to Hamas' civilian leadership and the destruction of
civilian infrastructure in the Gaza Strip throughout the war, Hamas managed to
quickly regain almost full control over the areas it held, activating government
mechanisms and attempting to provide basic services, while also using force
against the Gazans as a means of deterrence. Hamas understood that overt control
of the Strip would deter the international community from transferring the funds
required for reconstruction, delay the rebuilding of the Strip and could spark
civilian unrest, and therefore signaled its willingness to transfer the civilian
administration to a Palestinian technocratic government, while refusing to
disarm. Nevertheless, Hamas' absolute control over government institutions and
the provision of services, including at the local level, will leave it with
significant influence, even if an alternative body is established to manage the
Strip in accordance with the second stage of the American plan."
Here is what the Trump administration needs to understand: Hamas, like ISIS, as
a deeply committed terrorist organization, has no right to exist. Its military,
civilian, and political infrastructure needs to be completely dismantled and
destroyed. Unfortunately, this is the only way to achieve security and stability
in the Middle East and prevent another October 7-style massacre against Israel.
*Khaled Abu Toameh is an award-winning journalist based in Jerusalem.
*Follow Khaled Abu Toameh on X (formerly Twitter)
© 2026 Gatestone Institute. All rights reserved. The articles printed here do
not necessarily reflect the views of the Editors or of Gatestone Institute.
Will one tumultuous year lead to another?
Yossi Mekelberg/Arab News/January 01/2026
In the march of humanity toward the unknown and uncertain, there are dates in
the year that enable us, almost force us, to stop and take stock of the past and
present and then gaze into the future and assess which direction we are heading
in and whether a change of course is necessary. This holiday season is
guaranteed to be awash with summations of 2025, while we look for clues to the
opportunities and challenges of the next 12 months, if not beyond.
Toward the end of 2025, two positive developments have been the ceasefire deal
reached in the Gaza war and the new plan to end the war in Ukraine, which was
this week discussed in a meeting between US President Donald Trump and his
Ukrainian counterpart Volodymyr Zelensky.
These are early days and, while the ceasefire in Gaza has led to a considerable
reduction in the level of violence, the exchange of hostages taken by Hamas for
Palestinian prisoners and detainees, and an improvement in the humanitarian
conditions in the Strip, the situation there remains extremely volatile. Since
the ceasefire came into effect in October, more than 400 Palestinians have been
killed in Israeli strikes, in addition to the killing of three Israeli soldiers,
with hundreds of violations of the ceasefire reported, leaving strong doubts
about whether this war is truly over and whether there is a pathway for moving
forward with phase two of the Trump plan. For now, any advance toward a
two-state solution between the Israelis and Palestinians remains elusive.
Equally questionable is whether Washington’s push for a peace deal between Kyiv
and Moscow could be enough to bring the two sides to agree on a path to end the
near four-year war between them. The fact that diplomatic efforts have continued
while many have been celebrating the end-of-year holidays suggests at least an
intention in this direction on the part of the US and Ukraine, which could
provide the latter with security and reconstruction guarantees. But Russia’s
continued heavy bombing of Ukrainian cities indicates that reaching a lasting
deal over the final borders between Ukraine and Russia and ensuring Ukraine’s
long-term independence might prove to be too difficult to achieve. However, by
concentrating on these two major conflicts — not without reason — we run the
risk of ignoring that the world has become more disorderly and violent in other
locations too. The number of armed conflicts is currently at its highest since
the end of 1945, with no international body or mechanism to prevent or bring an
end to these conflicts. The fact that two of the five permanent members of the
UN Security Council are directly involved in conflicts — Russia in Ukraine and
the US in the Western Hemisphere — is a warning sign.
In 2026, the international community needs to find the resourcefulness and
determination to respond to disruption.
The deterioration in global security in 2025 is a symptom of changing attitudes
to the nature of interactions in international affairs. Diplomatically, the
demise of multilateralism is a source of grave concern and gradually restricts
the achievements of the last 80 years, in which there was a strong sentiment
that international politics should be based on the premise that the whole is
greater than the sum of its parts and translated into international cooperation
rather than conflict and collaborative competition instead of aggressive
rivalry. Two defining issues that will continue to challenge and define the
immediate and longer-term future, if not to haunt us, are the growing pace of
the infiltration of artificial intelligence into our lives and the rearguard
battle humanity is conducting — or, more accurately, struggling to conduct —
against climate change and its destructive consequences.
The coming year could see AI’s grand entry into almost all areas of our lives.
This could herald, for better or worse but most probably both, a new era in the
relations between humans and machines, to the point where the demarcation lines
between them become increasingly blurred. Is 2026 going to be the year that AI
becomes a transformative force that revolutionizes our lives, taking on a wide
range of tasks from the menial to the most advanced and, most importantly of
all, independently of us?
Maybe. It might be the case that those in the business of developing AI have
overplayed their hand. AI technology, including generative AI, may prove more
evolutionary than revolutionary. Regardless, what is still missing is a serious
and intense social discussion of how the growing use of AI in so many aspects of
our lives — from education to health, security, manufacturing and commerce — is
going to change the lives of individuals, our societies and the interactions
between them. Sadly, all of this might become less relevant if we continue to
ignore global warming and climate change and their growing impact on nature and
communities around the world. The projection for 2026 by the UK’s Met Office
indicates an “extension of the run of years with a value above 1.4 degrees
Celsius compared to preindustrial levels.”
Climate change is a risk multiplier that makes existing threats, such as food
insecurity, the widening gap between rich and poor, droughts and fires, mass
population movements and even wars, more likely and more severe. Some states,
such as the Nordic countries, are on track to meet their international
obligations toward reducing greenhouse gas emissions. But they are well ahead of
the curve because they are employing the winning formula of access to adequate
resources, political will and societal commitment, which are at least some of
the ingredients that are missing in other countries. So, 2025 was a transitional
year. Much of it was focused on the US and on assessing and adjusting to the
Trump 2.0 presidency in relation to the big issues of our times. In 2026, the
international community needs to find the resourcefulness and determination to
respond to both old and new sources of disruption. The fundamental changes we
are about to encounter have become more dangerous because their sources and
causes are global in nature, while there is a growing tendency among countries
and other actors to work through the narrow prism of individual national
interests or vested interests. Without resolving these discrepancies, our world
is set to become more unstable and more fractious.
**• Yossi Mekelberg is professor of international relations and an associate
fellow of the MENA Program at Chatham House.
X: @YMekelberg
Fight against hate must not be weaponized
Ray Hanania/Arab News/January 01, 2026
During the past two years, there has been a very strong movement by politicians
and governments in the US to confront hate. From the president down to members
of Congress, diplomats and state and municipal officials, many people have
spoken out against the disturbing rise in displays of hatred.
Unfortunately, however, the campaign to fight hate has been politicized and the
legislation and campaigns that aim to address the issue have focused on specific
kinds of hate, particularly antisemitism. Clearly, antisemitism is immoral and a
form of hate that needs to be confronted. But would it not be more effective to
confront all hate, including Islamophobia and the increasing hate against Arabs?
Much of the push to confront antisemitism has come since the horrific attacks by
Hamas militants that took place on Oct. 7, 2023, when some 1,200 Israeli
civilians and military personnel were killed. Another 250 were taken hostage.
The attack provoked an unrestricted assault on all Palestinians in the Gaza
Strip, which has resulted in one of the largest mass killings of civilians this
century. More than 70,000 Palestinians, or about 4 percent of the population,
have been killed. Most Palestinian officials believe the actual number of deaths
is far higher, potentially as high as 250,000, but Israel has prevented
independent media outlets from entering Gaza unless they are embedded with
Israeli military units. Israel’s response to Oct. 7 has also destroyed more than
80 percent of all buildings in Gaza and displaced the vast majority of the
population of more than 2 million, in many cases pushing people to starvation
and into a healthcare crisis. The conflict has generated huge activist movements
on both sides, which have spread throughout the Middle East, Europe and the US.
In America, Israel has always enjoyed a special status granted to it by
politicians and governments. This activism has caused an emotional national
debate in the US, resulting in many assertions that criticizing Israel’s
policies is an act of antisemitism.
Would it not be more effective to confront all hate, including Islamophobia and
the increasing hate against Arabs?
The response to the protests against Israel’s actions in Gaza have been far more
severe than the response to protests criticizing Palestinian violence. Both have
resulted in the hate being dialed up, with rhetoric and attacks targeting Jews,
Muslims and Arabs alike.
As a consequence, Congress has introduced 11 different laws to punish anyone who
engages in antisemitism. However, rather than focusing on hate against Jews,
these also threaten to criminalize criticism of Israel.
Five of the bills target pro-Palestinian students at college campuses who
protest Israel’s actions. But none have been introduced to address the protests
against Palestinians, Arabs and Muslims by pro-Israel students. Two more have
been introduced to control how the conflict is described in American schools.
Another two resolutions have been introduced condemning the rise of antisemitism,
with one even labeling anti-Zionism as a form of antisemitism. Two more have
been introduced by the federal government to confront antisemitism in government
offices or by government officials.
That is a lot of legislation, with much of it becoming a platform to attack
those who criticize Israel’s brutality against Palestinians, not just in Gaza
but also in the West Bank.
Antisemitism is certainly wrong. The hatred of Jews is immoral, disgusting and
offensive. It must be confronted and stopped. But it should be stopped as
hatred, not as a weaponized political assault that undermines legitimate
criticism of the conduct of Israel’s government. Exclusively weaponizing the
fight against antisemitism turns it into a political fight that undermines its
importance.
Some protesters do go too far and may in fact engage in antisemitism, such as by
denying the Holocaust or suggesting that Jews “control” the media, government
and business. There has been horrific violence against Jews, most recently on
Dec. 14, when two men killed 15 people in an attack on a Hanukkah event at Bondi
Beach in Sydney, Australia. The killers were identified as Sajid Akram, 50, and
his son Naveed Akram, 24. Both non-Arab and not Palestinian, they are alleged to
have ties to Daesh. The father was killed and the son arrested. A fruit shop
owner who witnessed the attack courageously risked his life and confronted
Naveed Akram, wresting a weapon away from him and undoubtedly saving lives. The
hero was a Syrian Arab Muslim and Australian citizen, Ahmed Al-Ahmed. He was
injured by Sajid Akram, who shot him twice. Still, it did not matter. The tragic
massacre of humans was used to counter pro-Palestinian activism and cloud the
brutal actions of the government of Israel. Addressing the evils of all hate,
including antisemitism, Islamophobia and anti-Arab and anti-Palestinian racism,
would result in a more effective, unified front. Exclusively weaponizing the
fight against antisemitism undermines the campaign against all hate and turns it
into a political fight that undermines its importance.Worse, focusing only on
one form of hate, as the US Congress and American politicians have done in order
to defend the secular Israeli government, only fuels further antisemitism. That
harms everyone. A real fight against hate would join everyone together,
including Israelis and Palestinians. That is the voice that is needed today to
reverse the trend and protect Jews, Christians and Muslims alike.
*Ray Hanania is an award-winning former Chicago City Hall political reporter and
columnist. He can be reached on his personal website at www.Hanania.com. X: @RayHanania
Selected Face Book & X tweets/ January 01-02/2026
Roger Bejjani
What do I hope for 2026?
On the geopolitical and local politics levels:
1. The fall of the horrible Mollah regime in Iran and the rebounding of Iran as
a meaningful and respectable nation that does not hang people from cranes and
that would stop exporting the black revolution of their Khomeinist predecessors.
2. The total disintegration of the Lebanese Iranian proxy outfit that has caused
incommensurate damage to Lebanon and all Lebanese especially the ones it claims
representing. This can be secured only if our executive adopts the same policy
adopted by the British government against the IRA which ultimately led to the
disarmament of the latter.
3. The fast rebounding of Lebanon with a parliamentarian sizable majority pulled
by the LF bloc.
4. Peace treaty with Israel that secures Lebanon territorial integrity and a
prosperous South Lebanon for decades to come.
5. Solid partnership with Syria’s new regime securing mutual territorial
integrity and mutual borders respect.
6. The voting of a pardon law that would send home thousands of prisoners
(Lebanese and Non-Lebanese) held in inhumane conditions, without trial.
On my personal and family level:
Health and happiness to all.
On Inter level: 2026 national championship is ours.
Roger Bejjani
The nonsense conflict between KSA and UAE, neighbors and both major members of
the GCC, proves that Arabs have a DNA defect.
The absence of accountability of both leadership is the major danger when two
super egos face each other.
I always gave the Gulf countries as an example of wisdom, responsibility and
governance driven leadership who prioritize the interests of their countries and
citizen.
Today I am sadly disappointed when observing that those “wise” leaders are
unable to rationally agree on a modus operandi in Yemen or over Somaliland.
Simply unbelievable.