English LCCC Newsbulletin For Lebanese, Lebanese Related, Global News &
Editorials
For July 04/2026
Compiled & Prepared by: Elias Bejjani
#elias_bejjani_news
The Bulletin's Link on the lccc Site
https://eliasbejjaninews.com/aaaanewsfor2026/english.july04.26.htm
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Bible Quotations For today
Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life; whoever
disobeys the Son will not see life, but must endure God’s wrath
Holy Gospel of Jesus Christ according to Saint John 03/31-36: "The one who
comes from above is above all; the one who is of the earth belongs to the earth
and speaks about earthly things. The one who comes from heaven is above all. He
testifies to what he has seen and heard, yet no one accepts his testimony.
Whoever has accepted his testimony has certified this, that God is true. He whom
God has sent speaks the words of God, for he gives the Spirit without measure.
The Father loves the Son and has placed all things in his hands. Whoever
believes in the Son has eternal life; whoever disobeys the Son will not see
life, but must endure God’s wrath.""
Titles For Latest English
LCCC Lebanese & Lebanese Related News & Editorials published on 03-04 July/2026
The Framework Agreement Between Lebanon and the State of Israel Is the
Last Opportunity to Liberate Lebanon from Iranian Occupation, and Israel Is a
Friend, Not an Enemy/Elias Bejjani/July 03/2026
Canada Day: Gratitude for a Free Nation and Hope for a Sovereign Lebanon/Elias
Bejjani/July 01/2026
A Prayer for the Deliverance of Lebanon from Mercenaries/Elias Bejjani/June 30/
2026
Policy of Subservience/Abu Arz/Facebook/July 3, 2026
Senior Hezbollah and Amal Officials Attend Khamenei Funeral in Tehran
Israel military says struck Hezbollah positions in south Lebanon
IDF Strikes 10 Hezbollah Sites in Southern Lebanon After Attacks on Troops
Israeli airstrikes and stun grenades target towns in southern Lebanon. An
Israeli drone strike targeted the town of Nabatieh al-Fawqa.
Washington Calls on Iran to Stop Supporting Hezbollah and Supports
Implementation of Framework Agreement and Gradual Israeli Withdrawal
Israel warns of escalation across multiple fronts, names Iran as central focus
Over 600,000 displaced Lebanese return home amid ceasefire: IOM
Aoun says Hezbollah used to foreign control and tutelage
Aoun says trilateral framework agreement aims to empower Lebanese army, not
legitimize Israeli presence
Jaafari Mufti Attacks Government, Rejects Washington Framework
Iran Speaker urges all Lebanese parties to adhere to US-Iran deal
Lebanon says casualties surpass 4,000 since March 2
Ghalibaf: Martyred commander always emphasized Speaker Berri's standing among
Lebanon's Shiites
Lebanon updates fuel prices as gasoline and diesel costs decline
Berri says relations with neighbor Syria a must, amid enmity with Israel
Salam: New committee with Syria aims to boost ties based on sovereignty,
non-interference
Framework agreement risks polarizing Lebanon, but some opponents show
flexibility
UK Deputy National Security Adviser reaffirms commitment to Lebanon’s peace and
sovereignty
Paris, Rome to deploy forces in south Lebanon after UNIFIL leaves
Animal rescuer cares for pets and livestock stranded by war in south Lebanon
LIC Statement on the Trilateral Framework Agreement
Titles For The Latest English LCCC Miscellaneous Reports
And News published on 03-04 July/2026
Khamenei lies in state in Tehran as Iran begins week of funeral
ceremonies
Iran Hosts State Funeral for Khamenei as World Leaders Gather in Tehran
General in Iran emerges from hiding as Tehran prepares for Ali Khamenei’s
funeral
Netanyahu, Trump agree to meet in US ‘soon,’ Israeli PM’s office says
CMA CGM ship hit by missile in Hormuz strait may go for scrapping, CEO says
Death toll from bomb blast at Damascus cafe rises to 10
Two Romanian men jailed for stabbing Iranian journalist in London
Russia, Ukraine exchange deadly strikes after massive Kyiv attack
Venezuela’s Rodriguez defends earthquake response after days of criticism
Titles For The Latest English LCCC
analysis & editorials from miscellaneous sources published on 03-04 July/2026
Question: What is the Ethiopian Bible, and how does it differ from the
Protestant Bible?/GotQuestions.org/July 03/2026
UN's Human Rights 'Experts': Biased, Bought and Paid For/Robert Williams/
Gatestone Institute/July 03/2026
Inside Hezbollah's Tunnels: The Hidden Price of an Underground War/Jeremy
Brecher & Ralph Atrach/This Is Beirut/July 03/2026
The institutions behind the future economy/Jonathan Grant/Arab News/July 03/2026
How to train today’s youth to thrive in the AI era/Dr. Majid Rafizadeh/Arab
News/July 03/2026
Disarming Hezbollah the only way forward for Lebanon/Khaled Abou Zahr/Arab
News/July 03/2026
Latest English LCCC Lebanese &
Lebanese Related News & Editorials published
on 03-04 July/2026
The Framework Agreement Between Lebanon and the State of Israel Is the
Last Opportunity to Liberate Lebanon from Iranian Occupation, and Israel Is a
Friend, Not an Enemy
Elias Bejjani/July 03/2026
https://eliasbejjaninews.com/2026/07/155769/
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HZTjdmjXhEk&t=3s
The essence of Lebanon’s crisis is no longer hidden from anyone. The problem is
neither a disputed border issue, nor a temporary internal political
disagreement, nor a governance crisis that can be resolved through another
short-lived compromise. The core of the crisis is that Lebanon has been under
the hegemony of the Iranian jihadist and imperial project for decades, through
its terrorist army composed of Lebanese mercenaries falsely and blasphemously
called "Hezbollah."
Hezbollah is not an ordinary Lebanese political party with which Lebanese
citizens may agree or disagree. It is, in every practical sense, an Iranian army
of Lebanese mercenaries operating on Lebanese soil and implementing an agenda
that has nothing to do with the concept of the Lebanese state or the interests
of the Lebanese people. Without this Iranian mercenary army, Lebanon would not
have become a failed state, its institutions would not have collapsed, its
sovereignty would not have been confiscated, and its strategic decisions would
not have become hostage to the will of the rulers in Tehran.
For this reason, the Framework Agreement signed under American sponsorship
between the State of Israel and the Lebanese government carries exceptional
significance that goes far beyond its security or border-related dimensions.
This agreement is not merely a technical arrangement. It represents a historic
turning point that opens the door to restoring Lebanese sovereignty,
reestablishing state authority over all Lebanese territory, and bringing an end
to the era of Hezbollah's occupation.
The Lebanese government must implement this agreement in full, without clever
maneuvering, political gamesmanship, evasions, or attempts to buy time. The era
of political maneuvering is over. There is no longer room for the traditional
tactics that Lebanon’s ruling class has perfected for decades. What is required
is the actual and practical implementation of all obligations undertaken by the
Lebanese state, alongside the full enforcement of international resolutions and
the elimination of all illegal weapons outside state authority.
Any attempt to obstruct the implementation of the agreement or strip it of its
substance will lead to only one outcome: Israel remaining in the South and
Lebanon continuing as a state with incomplete sovereignty under Hezbollah’s
domination. Neither the international community is prepared to turn back the
clock, nor is the United States willing to tolerate further delays, and Israel
will not accept a return to the reality that enabled Hezbollah to transform
southern Lebanon into an advanced Iranian military base.
The current reality that many in Lebanon and the Arab and Islamic countries are
trying to ignore, whether out of fear, subservience, sectarianism, or ideology,
is that the vital interests of Israel and those of a free, sovereign, and
independent Lebanon have converged in an unprecedented way. Israel seeks the
permanent removal of the Iranian threat from its northern border, while Lebanon
seeks liberation from the disguised Iranian occupation that has usurped its
state, its decision-making process, and its future. At this specific point, the
interests of both countries, Lebanon and Israel, meet directly and unmistakably.
The past years have demonstrated that the Lebanese state is incapable, on its
own, of confronting the military machine that Hezbollah has built with massive
Iranian support. Experience has also proven that all efforts at accommodation,
dialogue, and internal political settlements have failed. Therefore, the
Framework Agreement—with its American sponsorship, international guarantees, and
new realities on the ground—represents the most serious opportunity in decades
to end Hezbollah’s occupation and control over Lebanon’s national
decision-making process.
As for the rhetoric still promoted by Hezbollah and its media mouthpieces
regarding victories, resistance, and so-called steadfastness, it has collapsed
under the weight of reality. After decades of slogans, Lebanon has harvested
nothing but destruction, economic collapse, isolation, poverty, emigration, and
the loss of sovereignty. The so-called “Axis of Resistance” has brought Lebanon
nothing except deeper dependence on Iran and additional wars and confrontations
that do not serve Lebanon’s national interests.
The liberation of Lebanon begins by acknowledging the reality and truth as is:
Hezbollah is an Iranian mercenary army controlling Lebanon’s sovereign
decision-making process through force, intimidation, terrorism, criminality, and
fully occupying the country. Therefored the Framework Agreement provides the
most realistic path toward ending this occupation and restoring the authority of
the state. Any delay in implementation will only prolong the crisis and deepen
the suffering of the Lebanese people.
Today, Lebanon faces a clear historic choice that leaves no room for ambiguity:
either a free, sovereign, and independent state that governs itself and honors
its international commitments, or continued submission to Iranian jihadist and
malign schemes through Hezbollah. Unless the Lebanese state makes its choice
through action rather than words, Lebanon will remain captive to Iranian
domination regardless of changing slogans and political narratives.
As for the opposition to the Framework Agreement by figures such as Nabih Berri,
Walid Jumblatt, Suleiman Frangieh, Gebran Bassil, and others who oppose
Lebanon’s sovereignty for whatever reason, they should be held politically and
legally accountable for positions and actions that have contributed to
undermining Lebanese sovereignty and perpetuating foreign influence over the
country.
In conclusion, Israel stands today as the only power capable of helping liberate
Lebanon from the grip of Iranian-backed jihadist occupation. Consequently, from
both a strategic standpoint and the perspective of Lebanon’s true national
interest, Israel should be openly recognized as a vital partner and friend
rather than an adversary.
The message is clear: anyone invested in Lebanon's future and genuinely
dedicated to its liberation must now listen and act.
**The author, Elias Bejjani, is a Lebanese expatriate activist
Author’s Email: Phoenicia@hotmail.com
Author’s Website:
https://eliasbejjaninews.com
Canada Day: Gratitude for a Free Nation and
Hope for a Sovereign Lebanon
Elias Bejjani/July 01/2026
https://eliasbejjaninews.com/2026/07/155716/
“Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord.” (Psalm 33:12)
As Canadians celebrate Canada Day from coast to coast to coast, I join millions
of citizens in expressing gratitude for a nation that has become a beacon of
freedom, democracy, pluralism, and human dignity. For my family and me, this
celebration carries a special meaning. Since immigrating to Canada in 1986, we
have experienced firsthand the blessings of living in a country where the rule
of law prevails, human rights are protected, and citizens are empowered to
pursue their aspirations in peace and security. Canada welcomed us not merely as
immigrants, but as future citizens and partners in building a prosperous
society. It offered us opportunities, stability, and a sense of belonging. Here,
diversity is embraced as a source of strength, and freedom is not a slogan but a
living reality. On this occasion, I am reminded of the words of Holy Scripture:
“Give thanks to the Lord, for He is good; His love endures forever.” (Psalm
107:1) And:“Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord.” (Psalm 33:12). These
verses capture the profound gratitude I feel toward God for the privilege of
calling Canada home.
Yet while celebrating Canada’s freedom and sovereignty, my thoughts inevitably
turn to Lebanon—the homeland of my birth, a nation I continue to love despite
its long and painful ordeal. The contrast between the Canadian experience and
the Lebanese reality could not be more striking. While Canada flourishes under
democratic institutions and national sovereignty, Lebanon has spent decades
struggling under successive occupations and foreign domination. Armed
Palestinian organizations once transformed large parts of the country into
military strongholds outside state authority. This was followed by the Syrian
occupation, which imposed political, military, and security control over Lebanon
for nearly three decades, undermining its institutions and suppressing its
independence.
Although the Syrian military withdrew in 2005 following the Cedar Revolution and
the sacrifice of Lebanon’s sovereignty martyrs, true independence remained
elusive. Iran quickly filled the vacuum through Hezbollah, its most powerful
proxy in the region. Today, Hezbollah functions as a state within the Lebanese
state. Armed, financed, and directed by the Iranian regime, it monopolizes
decisions of war and peace, undermines state institutions, and subordinates
Lebanon’s national interests to Tehran’s regional agenda. For decades, Hezbollah
has dragged Lebanon into destructive wars and conflicts that the Lebanese people
neither chose nor approved. It has participated in regional military campaigns,
most notably in Syria, while maintaining an arsenal that stands above the
authority of the Lebanese government and armed forces.
The consequences have been catastrophic: political paralysis, economic collapse,
international isolation, mass emigration, and the erosion of state sovereignty.
Millions of Lebanese have paid the price for policies imposed by an armed
organization whose loyalties extend beyond Lebanon’s borders.Yet despite these
tragedies, the Lebanese people’s aspiration for freedom remains unbroken.
Lebanon’s history is one of resilience. Time and again, its people have
demonstrated extraordinary courage in defending liberty, coexistence, and
democratic values. They deserve a country governed by one constitution, one
legitimate authority, and one national army—not by competing centers of power or
foreign-sponsored militias. The future of Lebanon can only be secured through
the full restoration of sovereignty, the exclusive authority of the state over
all weapons, the independence of national decision-making, and the reaffirmation
of the principles that once made Lebanon a beacon of freedom in the Middle East.As we celebrate Canada Day, I also reflect on the words of the Prophet Isaiah:
“Learn to do right; seek justice. Defend the oppressed.” (Isaiah 1:17) And the
promise found in Scripture: “Love and faithfulness meet together; righteousness
and peace kiss each other.” (Psalm 85:10). These values—justice, freedom, peace,
and human dignity—are not only the foundation of Canada’s success. They are also
the values that must guide Lebanon’s rebirth.
Today, I offer my heartfelt thanks to Canada for the opportunities, freedoms,
and security it has provided to my family and to countless others who arrived
seeking refuge from oppression and instability. At the same time, I pray for
Lebanon: that it may finally be liberated from all forms of foreign domination,
whether direct or indirect; that it may reclaim its sovereignty and
independence; and that it may once again become a homeland of freedom, peace,
prosperity, and hope.
May God continue to bless Canada. And may God grant Lebanon the freedom,
sovereignty, and peace for which its people have struggled and sacrificed for so
long.
“So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed.” (John 8:36)
Happy Canada Day.
A Prayer for the Deliverance of
Lebanon from Mercenaries
Elias Bejjani/June 30/ 2026
https://eliasbejjaninews.com/2026/06/155672/
Lord, enough is enough. Lebanon and the Lebanese people have suffered for
decades because of the cowardice, corruption, treachery, and moral bankruptcy of
those who have sold their loyalty to foreign regimes and ideologies. Grant our
homeland deliverance from the mercenaries who have polluted Lebanon’s identity
and from all the merchants of the false “resistance” narrative who have
transformed our country into a battlefield for others.
Free Lebanon from those who have willingly subordinated its sovereignty to the
Iranian regime and its expansionist project, and from every politician who has
bartered the nation’s independence for power, personal gain, or sectarian
interests. The Lebanese people’s true enemies are not only those who carry
weapons against the state, but also the political class that has enabled them,
protected them, and legitimized their domination.
Among those who bear historical responsibility are Michel Aoun, his son-in-law
Gebran Bassil—sanctioned for corruption—Nabih Berri, Walid Jumblatt, and the
entire leadership and apparatus of Hezbollah, which serves as the armed arm of
Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps rather than the interests of Lebanon.
They are joined by the remnants of the Syrian Social Nationalist Party, the
Baathists, the heirs of the failed Arab nationalist movements inspired by Gamal
Abdel Nasser, Muammar Gaddafi, and Yasser Arafat, along with segments of the
radical left and Islamist movements that have consistently placed foreign
agendas above Lebanon’s sovereignty and the welfare of its people.
The list is long, but the truth is simple: no nation can survive when its
identity is replaced by imported ideologies, when its institutions are held
hostage by illegal weapons, and when loyalty to foreign powers supersedes
loyalty to the homeland.
May God restore Lebanon’s freedom, sovereignty, neutrality, and constitutional
order. May He give courage to those who still believe in the Lebanon of
coexistence, liberty, and the rule of law, and may He liberate our beloved
country from every occupier, every mercenary, every corrupt leader, and every
ideology that seeks to erase its unique identity.
May Lebanon once again belong only to the Lebanese people.
Policy of Subservience
Abu Arz/Facebook/July 3, 2026
Most of Lebanon's tragedies stem from the interference of regional powers, both
large and small, in its internal and external affairs.
This is due to the policy of subservience that our politicians have adopted.In
short: Lebanon's salvation begins with replacing the policy of "national
subservience" with a policy of national pride.
At Your Service, Lebanon
Senior Hezbollah and Amal Officials Attend Khamenei
Funeral in Tehran
This Is Beirut/July 03/2026
Senior delegations from Hezbollah and the Amal Movement attended a funeral
ceremony in Tehran for Iran's late Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. The
Hezbollah delegation included the party's Head of Arab and International
Relations Ammar al-Mousawi, Deputy Chairman of Hezbollah's Political Council
Mahmoud Qamati, Head of Hezbollah’s Executive Council Administration and former
minister Mohammad Fneish, MPs Hassan Ezzeddine and Ali Fayyad, as well as senior
clerics, women officials, members of the families of former Hezbollah leaders
Hassan Nasrallah and Imad Mughniyeh, and other personalities aligned with
Hezbollah.
Amal Movement Delegation
The Amal Movement delegation included MP Qabalan Qabalan, Deputy Head of the
Movement's Political Bureau Sheikh Hassan al-Masri, and senior Amal official
Khalil Hamdan. On Thursday, the Amal delegation, headed by Hamdan and including
MP Qabalan, met with Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf at the
parliament headquarters in Tehran. The meeting, which lasted more than an hour,
focused on regional and international developments and their implications for
Lebanon and the wider region. During the meeting, Hamdan conveyed the greetings
of Lebanese Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri and delivered a written letter on his
behalf, explaining that Berri was unable to attend the funeral ceremony due to
unforeseen circumstances. Qabalan invited Ghalibaf to visit southern Lebanon and
Beirut's southern suburbs to witness the aftermath of the Israeli attacks,
describing them as "barbaric" and "brutal."Ghalibaf welcomed the delegation,
asked its members to convey his greetings to Berri, and stressed the importance
of continued consultation and coordination in light of ongoing regional
developments. The ceremony was also attended by senior officials from Yemen's
Ansarallah (Houthi) movement, official envoys of the Syrian Resistance Front,
and commanders of Iraqi resistance factions, including Kata'ib Hezbollah.
Israel military says struck Hezbollah positions in south
Lebanon
AFP/03 July ,2026
Israel’s military said Friday it had struck several Hezbollah sites in southern
Lebanon a day earlier in response to attacks on its troops in the area.Israel
and Lebanon signed a US-sponsored framework agreement last week to pave the way
for peace between the two countries and disarm Iran-backed militant group
Hezbollah. Israeli officials have repeatedly ruled out withdrawing troops from
southern Lebanon, maintaining that any withdrawal would happen only after
Hezbollah has been disarmed across Lebanon. “The IDF struck approximately 10
Hezbollah infrastructure sites and a truck used to transfer weapons in southern
Lebanon,” the military said in a statement.The sites were in the areas of the
south Lebanon towns of Bint Jbeil, Beit Yahoun, Kounine, and Baraachit, and
“were used by Hezbollah to advance attacks against IDF soldiers operating in the
Security Zone,” the army said. The military said the strikes on the
infrastructure sites were carried out following attacks on its soldiers inside
the Israeli-declared “security zone”, which stretches about 10 kilometers (six
miles) deep inside Lebanese territory along the border. The military said the
strike on the truck carrying weapons near the area was carried out to remove a
threat to the soldiers. The Lebanese state-run news agency reported three
Israeli strikes Thursday night, near the town of Baraachit in the Bint Jbeil
area, and in Nabatiyeh Al-Fawqa. The agency also reported two injuries in a
strike on the town of Seddiqine near Tyre.
Netanyahu visited troops in southern Lebanon on Tuesday, vowing that his
country’s forces would stay in the area as long as Iran-backed Hezbollah
remained a threat. The deal between Israel and Lebanon makes any Israeli
withdrawal from occupied Lebanese land conditional on Beirut disarming
Hezbollah, starting with “pilot zones” that the Lebanese military will take
over. Hezbollah drew Lebanon into the Middle East war on March 2 with rocket
fire at Israel, triggering Israeli airstrikes and a ground invasion.Israeli
attacks since the start of the war have killed about 4,300 people, according to
Lebanese official figures. In the same period, the Israeli military has reported
38 soldiers and one civilian contractor killed.
IDF Strikes 10 Hezbollah Sites in Southern Lebanon After
Attacks on Troops
This is Beirut/Jul 03/2026/AFP
The Israeli military says the Air Force carried out strikes on around 10
Hezbollah-linked sites in southern Lebanon on Thursday, in response to an
earlier attack on its troops. Separately, it also targeted a group of operatives
identified near Israel’s security buffer zone.According to the IDF, the
infrastructure sites in Bint Jbeil, Beit Yahoun, Kounine, and Baraashit were
being used by Hezbollah to facilitate attacks against Israeli forces operating
in southern Lebanon.The strikes followed an incident in Bint Jbeil, where a
Hezbollah gunman allegedly opened fire on Israeli troops, seriously injuring a
reservist, in what the military described as another breach of the ceasefire.In
a separate overnight event, Israeli forces said they identified Hezbollah
operatives transporting weapons in a truck near the security zone. The Air Force
later struck the vehicle “to remove the threat,” according to the IDF.
Israeli airstrikes and stun grenades target towns in
southern Lebanon. An Israeli drone strike targeted the town of Nabatieh al-Fawqa.
Al-Markazia/July 3, 2026.
An Israeli drone dropped a stun grenade on the town of Safad al-Batikh in the
Bint Jbeil district, without causing any injuries. A drone also dropped a stun
grenade on the town of al-Mansouri in the Tyre district. The Israeli army also
carried out a bombing operation in Kfar Tebnit.
An Israeli drone dropped a stun grenade on the town of Nabatieh al-Fawqa. Five
minutes later, the drone dropped a second grenade on the same location. The
Israeli army carried out bombings in the towns of Haddatha, al-Tayri, and
Qounine in southern Lebanon. Later that night, an Israeli drone targeted a
vehicle in the town of Siddiqin in the Tyre district, followed by a second
airstrike, resulting in two injuries.
Washington Calls on Iran to Stop Supporting Hezbollah and Supports
Implementation of Framework Agreement and Gradual Israeli Withdrawal
Al-Markazia/July 3, 2026
A senior US official told a correspondent for Shams TV: “The United States
supports the implementation of the framework it brokered between Israel and
Lebanon, including the establishment of pilot security zones, the gradual
withdrawal of Israeli forces, and the deployment of the Lebanese Armed Forces
throughout southern Lebanon. The United States will continue to train and equip
the Lebanese Armed Forces as the sole legitimate security institution in Lebanon
and supports the disarmament of Hezbollah and all non-state armed groups. The
United States also supports efforts to move toward the future normalization of
relations between Israel and Syria, promote regional stability, protect
vulnerable communities, including the Druze community, and prevent Iran and its
terrorist proxies from using Syrian territory to threaten Israel. The United
States reaffirms Israel’s right to defend itself and calls on Iran to end all
forms of support for Hezbollah and other terrorist organizations that continue
to destabilize the region.”
Israel warns of escalation across multiple fronts, names
Iran as central focus
LBCI/July 03/2026
Israeli Chief of Staff Eyal Zamir rejected any compromise on the demand to
disarm Hezbollah and dismantle the group. In meetings with the head of the
ceasefire monitoring mechanism, U.S. General Joseph Clearfield, and U.S. Central
Command commander Admiral Brad Cooper, Zamir stressed the need for the Israeli
military to maintain its deployment in Lebanon. He said implementation of the
first phase of the trilateral framework agreement, which calls for the
withdrawal of Israeli forces from two designated pilot zones, is contingent on
guarantees from the Lebanese army and the Lebanese government regarding the
mechanism sought by Israel. Washington is working to address the issue by
intensifying pressure on Israel to accelerate its withdrawal from the pilot
zones. During a security assessment, Israel identified Iran as the central focus
of its military preparations. A military official described the situation on
multiple fronts as very dangerous, with Israeli security assessments warning of
a sudden and rapid escalation that could force the military back into immediate
combat on multiple fronts, including Syria. On the ground in Lebanon, following
the wounding of several Israeli soldiers in clashes with Hezbollah fighters, the
Israeli military has intensified its bombardment and operations across various
areas. It considers the Ali al-Taher hill a key objective for the Egoz Unit,
which plans to continue operations there in coordination with the air and ground
forces, saying Hezbollah’s tunnel network in the area poses a significant
challenge to the military.
Over 600,000 displaced Lebanese return home amid
ceasefire: IOM
AFP/ 03 July ,2026
More than 640,000 displaced people in Lebanon have returned home, according to
the International Organization for Migration (IOM), as clashes between Hezbollah
and Israel have wound down following a deal to end the Middle East war.Lebanon
was drawn into the regional war on March 2 when Tehran-backed Hezbollah fired
rockets at Israel to avenge the killing of Iran’s supreme leader in US-Israeli
strikes.Israel responded with heavy airstrikes and an invasion of southern
Lebanon, where its troops still occupy swathes of territory. Lebanese
authorities say Israeli attacks have killed roughly 4,300 people and displaced
over one million, particularly from southern Lebanon and Beirut’s southern
suburbs. In a report on Thursday, the IOM said “646,107 IDPs (internally
displaced persons) have begun returning to their communities,” while about
500,000 other people remain displaced, based on data collected in coordination
with local authorities since June 22.An agreement signed by Tehran and
Washington last month established a ceasefire in Lebanon starting June 21. Since
then, hundreds of thousands of people have returned to their homes in southern
Lebanon and Beirut’s southern suburbs.Lebanese authorities say they have worked
to remove informal tent encampments in and around Beirut and reduce the number
of official shelters. But it remains impossible to return to dozens of towns and
villages near the southern border, many of which have suffered massive
destruction. Israeli officials moreover vow their forces will remain in a
“security zone” 10 kilometers (six miles) deep, despite the ceasefire. Last week
Lebanon and Israel concluded a US-backed framework agreement aiming to pave the
way for a permanent end to the war. The agreement calls for the disarmament of
Hezbollah, a gradual Israeli withdrawal from southern Lebanon and the deployment
of the Lebanese army there – starting with two “pilot” areas. However, the
agreement – rejected by Hezbollah – does not set a timetable for Israeli
withdrawal. Instead, it makes Israeli withdrawal contingent on Hezbollah’s
disarmament first, a tall order that experts say the Lebanese state cannot meet.
Aoun says Hezbollah used to foreign control and tutelage
Naharnet/July 03/2026
President Joseph Aoun accused Hezbollah on Friday, without naming the group, of
being accustomed to foreign control and tutelage, arguing that this is why they
are obstructing the framework agreement that separates Lebanon's negotiations
from Iran. "Our sovereign decision to separate our path from the
Iranian-American track is problematic for those who are accustomed to being
under a tutelage that controls us, decides on our behalf, and negotiates over
us," Aoun said, adding that Lebanon is a democratic country that respects
freedom of opinion but that "inciting strife or attempting to bring down the
government through street action are red lines."Aoun lauded the framework
agreement — which is rejected by Hezbollah and its ally, the Amal Movement —
saying it does not legitimize Israel's occupation of Lebanon but rather
stipulates empowering the Lebanese Army to extend its control over the entirety
of Lebanese territory. "No one questions the role of the Army, and it will fully
assume its responsibilities in ensuring security and stability in the south
following the withdrawal of Israeli forces," he said.
Aoun says trilateral framework agreement aims to empower
Lebanese army, not legitimize Israeli presence
LBCI/July 03/2026
President Joseph Aoun said the trilateral framework agreement does not
legitimize the continued presence of Israeli forces in Lebanon, but rather
provides for enabling the Lebanese army to extend its authority across the
country's entire territory. Aoun also said Lebanon's sovereign decision to
separate its own course from the Iranian-American track has become "a problem
for those who have grown accustomed to living under tutelage that controls us,
makes decisions on our behalf, and negotiates for us."He stressed that no one
questions the role of the Lebanese army, saying it will fully assume its
responsibilities in ensuring security and stability in southern Lebanon once
Israeli forces withdraw.
Jaafari Mufti Attacks Government, Rejects Washington
Framework
This is Beirut/Jul 03/2026
Lebanon’s Jaafari Mufti Sheikh Ahmad Qabalan on Friday sharply criticized the
Washington-backed framework guiding negotiations between Lebanon and Israel,
calling it a “historic national collapse” that “will never pass regardless of
the cost,” while accusing President Joseph Aoun and the government of advancing
Israeli interests. He urged President Aoun to reverse what he called “a national
mistake,” warning that Lebanon “cannot afford suicidal experiments.”Qabalan
argued that the solution lies not in disarming Hezbollah but in
institutionalizing cooperation between the Lebanese Army and the group.
He insisted that the Washington framework would not be implemented and rejected
any arrangement that would grant Israel what he described as political or
security gains.Qabalan also praised Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri, describing
him as Lebanon’s principal national guarantor, and argued that any political
solution should pass through Berri rather than President Aoun.
Iran Speaker urges all Lebanese parties to adhere to
US-Iran deal
Naharnet/July 03/2026
Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf has called on all Lebanese
parties to implement the U.S.-Iran memorandum of understanding, saying it is
essential to preventing internal strife."All components of Lebanon must work to
implement the clause about Lebanon in the memorandum of understanding because it
prevents civil strife," Ghalibaf said.'
Lebanon says casualties surpass 4,000 since March 2
LBCI/July 03/2026
Lebanon’s Ministry of Public Health reported that 4,301 people were killed and
12,199 were injured between March 2 and July 3.
Ghalibaf: Martyred commander always
emphasized Speaker Berri's standing among Lebanon's Shiites
LBCI/July 03/2026
Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf met with Khalil Hamdan, a
member of the Amal Movement's political bureau, who represented Lebanese
Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri at a ceremony honoring the "martyred
commander."Hamdan led an Amal delegation that included several Lebanese MPs.
During the meeting, Ghalibaf said, “I visited Beirut twice during the war in
Lebanon, and our martyred commander always emphasized the stature and role of
Speaker Nabih Berri among Lebanon’s Shiite community. He believed that any
decision taken by Berri, with the consensus of the Shiite community and in the
interest of the Lebanese people, would have the full support of the Islamic
Republic of Iran.”Ghalibaf added that one of the main concerns of the resistance
axis, particularly Lebanon, during the negotiations with the United States was
reflected in the outcome of the talks, which is why Iran insisted on including
Lebanon-related provisions in the U.S.-Iran memorandum of understanding. He said
all components of Lebanese society should work to implement the Lebanon-related
provisions of the memorandum, arguing that doing so would help prevent internal
strife in the country.
Ghalibaf also said the most important lessons to be drawn from the legacy of the
"martyred commander" are preserving the unity of the Islamic nation and
maintaining cohesion within Lebanon's Shiite community.
Lebanon updates fuel prices as gasoline and diesel costs
decline
LBCI/July 03/2026
On Friday, July 3, 2026, the prices of 95 and 98 octane gasoline decreased by
LBP 18,000, while diesel fell by LBP 40,000. Gas prices remained unchanged.
The current prices for hydrocarbon derivatives are as follows:
* Gasoline 95 octane: LBP 2,220,000
* Gasoline 98 octane: LBP 2,238,000
* Diesel: LBP 1,795,000
* Gas canister: LBP 1,127,000
Berri says relations with neighbor Syria a must, amid
enmity with Israel
Naharnet/July 03/2026
After meeting Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad Shaibani for the first time,
Hezbollah ally and Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri said Lebanon has no choice but
to engage with Syria. "Lebanon cannot cooperate with Israel, and if it refuses
to deal with Syria, the Lebanese will be left with no choice but the sea," Berri
told al-Modon newspaper in remarks published Friday. Shaibani also met Thursday
with President Joseph Aoun and Prime Minister Nawaf Salam. He told Aoun that
Damascus had no intention of intervening militarily in his country despite U.S.
pressure to do so. Berri said Shaibani voiced full solidarity with Lebanon and
all its components and that he sensed no hostile attitude toward Hezbollah, but
rather a willingness to communicate with the group if mutual interests required
it. Berri stressed that relations with Syria in the coming phase should be
"peer-to-peer" and based on mutual respect for sovereignty and non-interference
in each other's affairs.
Salam: New committee with Syria aims to boost ties based
on sovereignty, non-interference
Naharnet/July 03/2026
Prime Minister Nawaf Salam, who announced Thursday the creation of a high-level
committee tasked with developing economic partnerships and security agreements
with Syria, said Friday that the cooperation aims at "strengthening bilateral
relations" to achieve the common interests of the two countries. "With the aim
of strengthening bilateral relations between Lebanon and Syria... and based on
the principles of mutual respect for sovereignty, independence, territorial
integrity, non-interference in internal affairs, and good-neighborliness;
yesterday, alongside Syria's representative Asaad al-Shaibani, I signed the
agreement establishing the Joint Lebanese-Syrian High Committee," Salam posted
on the X platform.
Framework agreement risks polarizing Lebanon, but some
opponents show flexibility
Naharnet/July 03/2026
Israel and Lebanon signed a framework deal last week to end months of conflict
between Hezbollah and Israel. Hezbollah's opponents, including Samir Geagea and
Sami Gemayel welcomed the deal. So did President Joseph Aoun and Prime Minister
Nawaf Salam who had already vowed to extend the state's authority to all
Lebanese territories. Free Patriotic Movement leader Jebran Bassil voiced
reservations but warned against dismissing it entirely. Hezbollah
Secretary-General Naim Qassem immediately declared the agreement "null and
void."Hezbollah ally Speaker Nabih Berri opposed the deal but said a settlement
can be made. He said the deal will not pass as it is. Druze leader Walid Jumblat
said he does not support the agreement but "will not be part of a coalition to
bring it down."A political source told Asharq Al-Awsat newspaper that Berri is
not planning to form one, because he does not want to polarize the country.
Berri has said repeatedly that the framework agreement would create strife,
which he insists he does not want for his country. His aim is to block any
attempts to divide or lure the country into strife. The source said that what
Berri means when he says the deal will not pass and cannot be implemented is
that a settlement should be reached or amendments should be made to that deal
for it to be able to be implemented. "He still hopes to reach a settlement that
takes his feedback and the feedback of other politicians who also have some
remarks into consideration."
UK Deputy National Security Adviser reaffirms commitment
to Lebanon’s peace and sovereignty
Naharnet/July 03/2026
The UK Deputy National Security Adviser Dame Barbara Woodward concluded a
two‑day visit to Lebanon (1–2 July), focused on strengthening further
cooperation between the UK and Lebanon, supporting regional stability, and
reaffirming the UK’s long-standing commitment to Lebanon’s security and
sovereignty.Accompanied by Ambassador Hamish Cowell, Dame Barbara met Speaker
Nabih Berri, Prime Minister Nawaf Salam, Deputy Prime Minister Tarek Mitri, and
Lebanese Army Commander General Rodolphe Haykal. Discussions centered on the
UK’s support for Lebanon’s efforts to extend state authority across all Lebanese
territory, strengthen state institutions and a political settlement consistent
with UNSCR 1701. Woodward reiterated the UK’s strong support for the Government
of Lebanon and welcomed "recent historic decisions", including the announcement
of the trilateral framework agreement between Lebanon, Israel and the United
States. "This agreement will be central to advancing progress towards withdrawal
of Israeli forces from Lebanese territory, disarmament of Hezbollah and the full
deployment of the Lebanese Armed Forces across Lebanese territory," the British
Embassy in Beirut said in a statement. The visit highlighted the UK’s readiness
to play its part in supporting this diplomatic process including through
humanitarian and development aid and as a leading supporter of the Lebanese
Armed Forces, the statement said. "The UK continues to support the Lebanese
Armed Forces – Lebanon’s sole legitimate defender – through enabling their
sustained deployment and effective operations through border security
infrastructure, training, and equipment."Woodward commended LAF’s work securing
the Syrian border, managing severe challenges in the South, and maintaining
stability during an exceptionally difficult period.She said "this visit comes at
a pivotal moment as Lebanon and its partners work toward a sovereign and
peaceful future. The UK will continue to support diplomatic efforts that deliver
lasting peace and security for both Lebanon and Israel. "Diplomacy is the only
viable path to a lasting political settlement leading to Israel’s withdrawal
from Lebanon, Hizballah’s disarmament and full LAF deployment across Lebanon."
Ambassador Cowell said it is "an important visit for Dame Barbara to Lebanon. He
welcomed the announcement of the trilateral framework agreement between Lebanon,
Israel and the United States, adding that the UK remains committed to Lebanon’s
stability and sovereignty, working closely with Lebanese and international
partners to advance peace and protect civilians.
Paris, Rome to deploy forces in south Lebanon after UNIFIL
leaves
Naharnet/July 03/2026
France is preparing with Italy to deploy international coalition forces in
southern Lebanon after the end of UNIFIL's mission, a French Foreign Ministry
official told Al-Arabiya television.
The official said the move will take place with American support. He explained
that the deployment of international forces after the end of UNIFIL's mission
will come at the request of Lebanon and in support of its army. He also revealed
ongoing talks with Britain and regional partners to reopen the Strait of Hormuz.
Animal rescuer cares for pets and livestock stranded by war
in south Lebanon
Associated Press/July 03/2026
In the village of Kfaroue in southern Lebanon, Hussein Hamza makes his daily
rounds to feed and check on his furry and feathered charges. The number of
animals in his care has multiplied since the outbreak of the latest Israeli war,
as hundreds of thousands of southern Lebanon residents fled and were unable to
take their pets or farm animals. In other cases, the owners were killed in
Israeli airstrikes. Some animals came to him wounded. Dozens of dogs gather
around Hamza, tails wagging in anticipation, as he pushes a wheelbarrow loaded
with pieces of chicken to distribute among them. Some of the dogs are missing
limbs. One has an infected wound on its foot that Hamza cleans. He continues his
rounds, carrying buckets of water into a pen holding chickens and a pair of
camels.
"During the war, people contacted us and told us they had left their chickens
behind because everyone had to evacuate suddenly," Hamza said. Although there
were some airstrikes around Kfaroue, the area was relatively calm compared to
areas closer to the border with Israel, where entire villages have been
demolished and large swathes of land occupied by Israeli troops. "They asked us
to bring the chickens here, because if they were left roaming free, foxes might
eat them, and otherwise they would die from hunger and thirst," he said. "We
managed to rescue only the chickens we could reach — not all of them. There were
areas where the fighting was too intense and we couldn't get there."As the
situation in the south has calmed under a tentative truce, Hamza is waiting for
the animals' owners to return and reclaim them. Hamza has been caring for
animals since 2006. His shelter named Mashala, meaning "what God has willed,"
has been in its current location for seven years. As the war has increased the
needs, it also has put more pressure on his limited budget. "When I first
started, I paid for everything myself," Hamza said. "I had an agricultural
business, and I kept spending from my own money until I went bankrupt."Then he
created a Facebook page to solicit donations. Hamza spends about $400 to $500
daily on food, medical care, spaying and neutering, workers' wages, fuel and
repairs, he said. It has become difficult to raise money with the country's many
pressing humanitarian needs. Many who have funds prefer making donations to
initiatives that help displaced or wounded people, he said.Hamza understands,
but said humans have an obligation toward the animals that are dependent on
them. "We shouldn't neglect these responsibilities because of wars or because of
the poverty we face," he said.Ongoing uncertainty about the situation in Lebanon
and fears of a new escalation have dissuaded many would-be pet owners from
adopting, but some of Hamza's dogs have found new homes. Abbas Shoeib took home
a handsome black pit bull mix whose owners were killed in an airstrike. "A dog
needs someone to take care of him, and when you take care of him, he will take
care of you," Shoeib said.
LIC Statement on the Trilateral Framework Agreement
Washington, DC. June 29, 2026
The Lebanese Information Center (LIC), the largest grassroots Lebanese-American
organization in the United States, enthusiastically welcomes the Trilateral
Framework Agreement signed by Lebanon, Israel, and the United States in
Washington on June 26, 2026. The LIC regards this agreement as one of the most
consequential sovereign initiatives undertaken by the Lebanese state in more
than half a century. Representing far more than a mechanism for ending the
current conflict, the framework offers Lebanon a path out of the recurring wars
that have repeatedly devastated the country for decades. While every Lebanese
citizen has paid a heavy price for the seemingly unending violence through
insecurity, economic decline, political paralysis, and lost opportunities, the
people of southern Lebanon have borne the greatest share of the death and
destruction. The LIC commends President Joseph Aoun and Prime Minister Nawaf
Salam for the leadership, courage, and sagacity they have demonstrated in
advancing this historic initiative in support of Lebanon's sovereignty and
national interest. We also recognize the astute diplomatic efforts of Lebanon's
Ambassador to the United States, Nada Hamadeh Moawad, and the many Lebanese and
American officials who worked tirelessly to bring this agreement to fruition.
The LIC expresses its deep appreciation to the Government of the United States
for its sustained engagement and leadership throughout this process, and
particularly to Secretary of State Marco Rubio for his personal commitment to
advancing a durable framework for peace and prosperity in Lebanon, as well as
security and stability for the broader region. We further welcome the continued
American commitment to strengthening the Lebanese Armed Forces as the sole
legitimate military institution entrusted with defending Lebanon and extending
state authority throughout Lebanese territory.
For decades, South Lebanon has been the country's open wound, costing
generations of Lebanese lives, investment, opportunity, and stability. The
significance of this framework therefore extends well beyond the withdrawal of
Israeli forces and the return of residents to their homes and villages. When
fully implemented, it will offer the first realistic opportunity in half a
century to close this painful chapter in Lebanon's modern history and transform
southern Lebanon from a battlefield for regional conflicts into a region of
security, stability, and development.
The agreement also confronts the central obstacle to Lebanese sovereignty: the
existence of an armed force operating outside the authority of the Republic. For
years, Hezbollah has exercised an independent power to commit Lebanon to war,
most recently in March 2026, when its attacks drew the country into a conflict
that its government neither chose nor authorized. Hezbollah's military apparatus
has long operated under the directive of Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard
Corps. No sovereign state can function while the decision of war and peace rests
outside its constitutional institutions.
The LIC reaffirms its long-held position that this authority belongs exclusively
to the Lebanese state, exercised through its legitimate institutions and
defended by its national army. The framework offers a genuine opportunity to
fulfill commitments Lebanon made decades ago under the Taif Agreement and United
Nations Security Council Resolutions 1559 and 1701 to bring all arms under state
control and extend that control to every part of Lebanese territory.
Restoring sovereignty also requires restoring independent Lebanese
decision-making. Lebanon can no longer serve as a forward operating front for
Iranian ambitions or for any other external agenda unrelated to the interests of
the Lebanese people. For more than half a century, nearly every external power
that interfered in Lebanese affairs has done so under the pretense of
confronting or fighting Israel. In practice, these interventions have repeatedly
come at the expense of Lebanese sovereignty, stability, and prosperity. This
agreement offers an opportunity to bring an end to the exploitation of Lebanon
and its people under such pretexts and to restore the principle that Lebanese
territory and Lebanese lives should serve Lebanese interests alone.
The overwhelming majority of Lebanese aspire to live in a peaceful and
prosperous country governed by the rule of law and protected by its national
institutions. The Lebanese-American community shares this aspiration even more
strongly. As the largest grassroots Lebanese-American organization in the United
States, the LIC proudly joins the overwhelming majority of Lebanese Americans in
supporting this historic opportunity and the leadership advancing it. For the
first time in generations, many Lebanese and Lebanese Americans see a hopeful
path toward the Lebanon they have long envisioned.
Historic opportunities are rare in the life of nations, and this one will
ultimately be judged by its implementation: the steady, verifiable transfer of
all military authority to the Lebanese state and the enforcement of that
authority in practice throughout Lebanese territory. The LIC urges Lebanon's
institutions, the United States, and all of Lebanon's friends in the
international community to see this process through so that future generations
inherit a Lebanon secure within its borders, sovereign in its decisions, and at
peace with itself and all of its neighbors.
The Latest English LCCC
Miscellaneous Reports And News published on 03-04 July/2026
Khamenei lies in state in Tehran as Iran begins week of funeral
ceremonies
Al Arabiya English/03 July ,2026
The body of Ali Khamenei lay in state in a vast hall in Tehran on Friday as
clerics, officials, foreign dignitaries and other mourners paid their respects
to Iran’s late supreme leader, slain by US and Israeli bombs.Iran is staging a
week of mass funeral processions for Khamenei, whose 37-year reign was brought
to an end in February by the first airstrike of the war, in a show of public
devotion to the Islamic Republic’s theocratic state and revolutionary zeal.
Khamenei’s body was expected to be taken to Qom, Najaf and Kerbala, the great
Shia centers of Iran and Iraq, before being laid to rest on Thursday in Mashhad,
home to the country’s holiest pilgrim shrine. His coffin was unveiled late on
Thursday to a throng of sobbing supporters, swaying and beating their heads in
time to a sung lament as flowers were thrown from the bier into the crowd. On
Friday the coffin – and those of family members killed with him – was laid in
state in the great prayer hall built to honor his predecessor, Ruhollah
Khomeini.The funeral is taking place at a critical moment for Iran, where the
clerical rulers backed by the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) are
riding high from surviving what they saw as an existential war against their
greatest and most powerful foes.But nearly five decades after the 1979
revolution, and for all the official proclamations of national unity in the
run-up to Khamenei’s funeral, the Islamic Republic has rarely been so internally
fractured.
Support for the clerical leadership is paper thin, analysts say, and the new
supreme leader, Khamenei’s son Mojtaba Khamenei, has not been seen in any new
image since being wounded in the strike that killed his father. Years of
crippling sanctions have paralyzed the economy as accelerating bouts of mass
nationwide protests have been put down by security forces with increasing force
– culminating in the killing of thousands of demonstrators in January.
Those deep problems have been brushed aside this week, with the authorities
mounting a display of state power and mass support, mobilizing what they hope
will be millions of mourners to take part in the funeral. Tehran streets were
tightly controlled, with military and police vehicles lining the major roads and
police and members of the black-shirted volunteer Basij paramilitary force
patrolling on motorbikes. Iran warned the United States and Israel against any
attacks during the funeral.After the coffins arrived on Friday, borne high
across the upraised hands of a waiting crowd, they were laid in the prayer hall
on a white, stepped, dais before a high, intricately tiled, arched recess,
flanked by national and black mourning flags. A black turban, worn by clerics
claiming descent from Islam’s Prophet Mohammed, lay on the coffin on a folded
chequered scarf, a symbol in Iran of militant revolutionary ideals and
solidarity with Palestinians.
Representatives from Russia and China were expected to attend. Top Iraqi,
Armenian and Pakistani politicians arrived in Tehran for the funeral. Families
of Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah and senior commander Imad Mughniyeh, close
Lebanese allies of Iran killed in Israeli strikes, attended the ceremony. Iran’s
own political leaders – the president, parliament speaker, foreign minister and
others – filed in to weep and pray on Friday morning. A group of generals stood
saluting in front of the coffin.In Iran’s theocratic system, Khamenei was not
only head of state and leader of a revolutionary movement, but the
representative on earth for Shia Islam’s 12th imam, who disappeared in the ninth
century. His death in an enemy attack plays into a powerful Shia tradition of
martyrdom and mourning, in which processions of flagellants beat their chests or
backs. That potent symbolism has been evident in the black funeral flags hanging
over city streets since his death referencing the seventh-century martyrdom of
Shi’ism’s third imam, Hossein. In central Tehran overnight, a crowd stood
sobbing and chanting, led by a Basij member, as others handed out posters of the
late Khamenei.Killed alongside Khamenei, and displayed in coffins next to his,
were his daughter, son-in-law and baby granddaughter, as well as the wife of his
son Mojtaba.
Burial postponed due to war
Burials are meant to be conducted within a day of death in Islam, but because of
the risks of holding a big funeral during the war it was postponed until after
last month’s interim truce deal was agreed. Hotels are offering 50 percent
discounts, schools, mosques and sports halls have been prepared to house
mourners, and bus and rail networks are being diverted to serve the main
events.After what authorities are billing as a massive procession in central
Tehran on Monday, the remains will be taken to the seminary city of Qom, the
center of Iran’s Shia hierarchy, for ceremonies on Tuesday.Ceremonies will then
be held in Iraq’s shrine cities of Najaf and Kerbala on Wednesday with prominent
attendees from Iran’s regional network of Shia proxies. He will be buried on
Thursday, after another procession, in Mashhad near the tomb of the Imam Reza, a
figure of great devotion in Iran. With Reuters
Iran Hosts State Funeral for Khamenei as World Leaders
Gather in Tehran
This is Beirut/Jul 03/2026
Iran began a week-long state funeral on Friday for former Supreme Leader
Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, nearly four months after he was killed in a joint
U.S.-Israeli airstrike on February 28, the opening day of the war between Iran
and Israel. The ceremonies, delayed until after the conflict and subsequent
ceasefire, have drawn senior officials from more than 100 countries in one of
the largest diplomatic gatherings hosted by Tehran in decades. The funeral comes
at a pivotal moment for the Islamic Republic, as its new leadership seeks to
project continuity and regional influence following the death of the man who led
Iran for 37 years.
Funeral Delayed Until After the War
Under Islamic tradition, burials typically take place within 24 hours. Iranian
authorities postponed Khamenei’s funeral because of the ongoing war and security
concerns, opting instead to organize an extended series of ceremonies after the
June ceasefire and the signing of the US-Iran memorandum of understanding. The
commemoration officially began Friday in Tehran, where Khamenei’s coffin was
placed at the Grand Mosalla prayer complex. Senior Iranian officials, military
commanders, foreign delegations and thousands of mourners attended prayers
before the casket, which was draped in the Iranian flag and topped with
Khamenei’s black clerical turban. Also displayed were the coffins of several
family members reportedly killed alongside him in the February strike, including
his daughter, son-in-law, infant granddaughter and the wife of his son, Mojtaba
Khamenei.
Week-Long Procession Across Iran and Iraq
Iran has planned a seven-day funeral procession extending beyond its borders.
Following ceremonies in Tehran, the procession will move to the religious city
of Qom before continuing to the Iraqi Shiite holy cities of Najaf and Karbala.
Khamenei’s body will then return to Iran for burial at the Imam Reza shrine in
Mashhad, his birthplace, on July 9. Iranian authorities have mobilized extensive
logistical and security arrangements for the ceremonies, including discounted
transportation and accommodation, while schools, mosques and public buildings
have been opened to accommodate mourners.
Foreign Delegations Arrive in Tehran
The funeral has become a significant diplomatic gathering, with Iranian
officials saying representatives from more than 100 countries are expected to
attend. Pakistan is sending one of the highest-ranking delegations, led by Prime
Minister Shehbaz Sharif. Army Chief Field Marshal Asim Munir and Interior
Minister Mohsin Naqvi also arrived in Tehran to participate in the ceremonies.
Pakistan played a central mediation role during the US-Iran negotiations that
led first to the ceasefire and later to the memorandum of understanding. Among
the heads of state who arrived in Tehran were Iraqi President Nizar Amidi, Iraqi
Parliament Speaker Mohammed al-Halbousi and his parliamentary delegation, Tajik
President Emomali Rahmon, Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan, Kurdistan
Region President Nechirvan Barzani, and Uzbek Parliament Speaker Nuriddin
Ismoilov, according to Iran's state broadcaster IRIB. Russia is represented by
former President and current Deputy Chairman of the Security Council Dmitry
Medvedev, while China has dispatched He Wei, vice chairman of the Standing
Committee of the National People’s Congress. Turkey is represented by Vice
President Cevdet Yılmaz and representatives from political parties.
Afghanistan’s delegation includes Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi and Deputy
Prime Minister Abdul Ghani Baradar. Bangladesh has sent Parliament Speaker Hafiz
Uddin Ahmed, while India is represented by Deputy Foreign Minister Pabitra
Margherita and Bihar Governor Syed Ata Hasnain, accompanied by several senior
political figures. Iranian media also reported the arrival of delegations
representing Palestinian religious scholars, as well as Thai Shia Muslim groups
to pay their respects during the funeral ceremonies. Separately, representatives
of the Bulgarian Republican Party and members of parliament attended memorial
events honoring the late Iranian leader, according to Iranian media.Also present
are members of the families of former Hezbollah Secretary-General Hassan
Nasrallah and senior Hezbollah commander Imad Mughniyeh, both longtime Iranian
allies who were killed in previous Israeli strikes. They were accompanied by
Lebanese political personalities from Hezbollah and Amal Movement.
Security Measures and Warnings
The funeral is taking place under exceptionally tight security. Military
vehicles, police units and members of Iran’s Basij paramilitary force have been
deployed throughout Tehran as authorities seek to prevent any security incident
during the ceremonies. On Thursday, Khatam al-Anbiya Central Headquarters
Commander Ali Abdollahi warned the United States and Israel against any attack
during the funeral, saying Iran’s armed forces would respond harshly to any
threat. Meanwhile, Iranian officials confirmed that Supreme Leader Mojtaba
Khamenei, who succeeded his father following the February strike, may not attend
the ceremonies for security reasons after repeated Israeli threats against him.
A Display of Continuity
Beyond the funeral itself, the ceremonies have become a political demonstration
by Iran’s leadership, trying to portrait continuity after the unprecedented
killing of a sitting supreme leader. State media have framed the event as a
display of national unity and resilience following the war, while Tehran seeks
to reinforce its regional alliances at a time when negotiations with the United
States continue under the framework of last month’s memorandum of
understanding.The gathering also serves as one of the largest diplomatic events
hosted by Iran since the 1979 Islamic Revolution, bringing together regional
partners and allies even as tensions with Israel remain high despite the current
ceasefire.
General in Iran emerges from hiding as Tehran prepares for
Ali Khamenei’s funeral
Al Arabiya English/03 July ,2026
A powerful general who leads Iran’s paramilitary Islamic Revolutionary Guard
Corps (IRGC) emerged from hiding as Tehran prepared Friday for the dayslong
funeral for the late Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei. Photos published online by
Iranian state media showed Gen. Ahmad Vahidi attending a meeting about the
funeral of Khamenei, 86, then sitting alongside his casket as Iran held a
smaller service for him Thursday night near the supreme leader’s former home in
downtown Tehran. Vahidi has become a major player in formulating Iran’s tough
stance in negotiating a possible permanent end to the war with the United
States, experts say. He is believed to be part of a small clique in direct
contact with Iran’s new Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei, who remains in hiding
after being reportedly wounded in the Feb. 28 Israeli strikes that killed his
father, the elder Khamenei.
Vahidi himself hasn’t been seen publicly since Feb. 8, weeks before the Iran war
began.Video published by Iranian state media showed the mourning ceremony for
Khamenei at his compound in Tehran. An Israeli airstrike in the war’s first
moments killed Khamenei and some of his family members. State media said
Khamenei’s body sat within a coffin on a stage, with red tulips lined up in
front of it. What appeared to be paper butterflies hung from the ceiling in
front of it. The black-clad mourners, whom state media identified as coming from
families of those who lost loved ones in the 12-day war in 2025 and the recent
Iran war, threw scarves and other items for attendants to brush against the
coffin, a common practice in Iran. Later, state media showed images of
Khamenei’s casket draped by a red flag. It had been flying over the Imam Hussein
golden-domed shrine in Karbala, Iraq. Beginning Saturday, Iran will hold a
dayslong funeral for Khamenei, and his body will be transported to cities in
both Iran and neighboring Iraq. The funeral will begin at the Grand Mosalla in
Tehran, where authorities plan to shut down streets and daily life as mourners
commemorate the life of Khamenei, who led Iran for decades with an iron fist
while confronting the West.With The Associated Press
Netanyahu, Trump agree to meet in US ‘soon,’ Israeli PM’s
office says
AFP/Published: 03 July ,2026
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and US President Donald Trump spoke on
Friday and agreed to meet “soon” in the United States, the premier’s office
said. The conversation comes after the United States and Israel fought alongside
each other in their military campaign against Iran, and also follows reports of
tensions between the two leaders over efforts to end the war. “The Prime
Minister said in their conversation that the US is a guarantor of global
freedom, and Israel greatly appreciates the close ties between nations,” a
statement from Netanyahu’s office said.
“Prime Minister Netanyahu and President Trump agreed to meet soon in the US,” it
added. During the conversation, Netanyahu also congratulated Trump on the 250th
anniversary of the United States’ independence, the statement said.Washington is
Israel’s closest ally, but Trump has been publicly critical of Netanyahu in
recent weeks after Israel’s war with Hezbollah in Lebanon threatened peace talks
with Iran.
CMA CGM ship hit by missile in Hormuz strait may go for scrapping, CEO says
Reuters/03 July ,2026
A CMA CGM container ship struck by a missile in the Strait of Hormuz in early
May is so badly damaged that the French shipping group may send it for
scrapping, its chief executive said on Friday. The attack on the CMA CGM San
Antonio injured several members of the crew, who were evacuated. The ship is one
of dozens of commercial vessels to be struck during the Iran war.“It was so
damaged that we’re wondering whether we should send it for scrapping,” CMA CGM’s
Chairman and CEO Rodolphe Saade told a business conference in southern France.
After being stranded in the strait for weeks, the San Antonio has been escorted
to safety, he added, without giving further details.The group does not plan for
now to start sending ships towards the Gulf again, he said, adding it was the
Iranian side that was currently advising not to do so. Saade, who controls CMA
CGM with other family members, reiterated his opposition to transit fees for
using the strait, which are among unresolved issues in US-Iranian peace
talks.CMA CGM, the world’s third-largest container shipping line, had 14 ships
inside the Gulf at the start of the Iran war that virtually closed the waterway.
Several have since exited the zone and of the remaining vessels CMA CGM would
like another four to come out, Saade said. The CEO indicated in a French press
interview this week that some of its vessels there are intended to operate
inside the Gulf.
Death toll from bomb blast at Damascus cafe rises to 10
Al Arabiya English/03 July ,2026
Syria’s health ministry said on Friday the death toll from a bomb attack at a
Damascus cafe the previous day had risen to 10, with 21 people wounded. The
bombing – the deadliest since a suicide attack on a church last year – was not
immediately claimed.It took place near the capital’s Palace of Justice, a key
government building, sparking scenes of panic in the busy area.Authorities said
it was caused by an explosive device planted at the scene. The homemade bomb
weighed about one kilogram and was packed with metal fragments.The health
ministry had previously said nine people were killed and 20 wounded.
Since the toppling of longtime ruler Bashar al-Assad in December 2024, Syria’s
new authorities led by President Ahmed al-Sharaa have sought to exercise full
control, restore security and reunify the country. Damascus has been the site of
multiple attacks and incidents since the new authorities took over.
The deadliest came in June 2025, when an attack on a Damascus church killed 25
people. Authorities blamed the suicide attack on ISIS. More recently, there have
been other incidents, including the killing in May of a soldier in a car bombing
in Damascus’s Old City.With AFP
Two Romanian men jailed for stabbing Iranian journalist in
London
Reuters/03 July ,2026
Two Romanian men whom British prosecutors said were acting as proxies for the
Iranian government were on Friday jailed for stabbing a journalist working for a
Persian-language media organization in London. Pouria Zaratifoukolaei, known as
Pouria Zeraati, a British journalist of Iranian origin who works for Iran
International, was stabbed three times in the leg near his home in southwest
London in March 2024. Nandito Badea, 21, and George Stana, 25, both pleaded not
guilty to charges of wounding with intent but were convicted at London’s
Woolwich Crown Court in June. Badea was sentenced to 8 years in jail and Stana
was sentenced to 12 years.
Russia, Ukraine exchange deadly strikes after massive Kyiv attack
AFP/03 July ,2026
At least 10 people were killed in Ukrainian attacks on Russia and
Moscow-occupied territory, local officials said Friday, as Ukraine reported five
killed in Russian attacks. The exchange of deadly strikes comes a day after
Russia unleashed an overnight pummeling – one of the worst of the conflict – on
Ukraine’s capital Kyiv, leaving at least 30 dead. On Friday, a Ukrainian strike
on a market in the Russian-occupied part of the southern Zaporizhzhia region
killed five people, the Kremlin-appointed governor said. “This is a strike
against civilian life – against people who had come to buy groceries,” Yevgeny
Balitsky said on Telegram. He earlier said three people had been killed in
separate attacks in the region. Two other people died in strikes on Russia’s
western Belgorod and Bryansk regions, both bordering Ukraine, officials said.
Ukraine meanwhile reported a strike on its northeastern region of Sumy that set
a house ablaze and killed four people – including a toddler. “Sadly, two women,
an elderly man, and a small child – a girl not yet two years old – were killed.
The Russian strike took her life along with her mother’s,” the head of the Sumy
regional military administration Oleg Grygorov said on Telegram.
Three more people were wounded in the attack. One person was killed and five
wounded in the central eastern Dnipropetrovsk region, regional military
administration head Oleksandr Ganzha said on Telegram. Kyiv’s air force said on
Friday that Russia launched two missiles and 105 drones at Ukraine overnight.
Russia meanwhile shot down 155 Ukrainian drones overnight from Thursday to
Friday over its regions and annexed Crimea, according to the Russian Defense
Ministry. On Thursday, Russia unleashed one of the most intense drone and
missile attacks to hit the Ukrainian capital since the start of its invasion of
Ukraine in February 2022. At least 30 people were killed in Kyiv, according to a
toll provided Friday by rescue services.
Venezuela’s Rodriguez defends earthquake response after days of criticism
Reuters/03 July ,2026
Venezuela’s Interim President Delcy Rodriguez on Thursday rejected allegations
that her government reacted too slowly to destruction caused by two earthquakes
which killed more than 2,000 people, after days of widespread criticism of the
official response. Civilians of all stripes – including survivors, family
members, volunteer paramedics and foreign rescue teams – have descended on
disaster areas, especially the hardest-hit northern state of La Guaira, since
the 7.2- and 7.5-magnitude quakes struck on June 24.Many of those digging
through the rubble, along with international aid organizations, say the
government’s response was slow and ineffectual, with aid like food and medical
supplies delayed and an ongoing lack of heavy machinery to move debris amid
ongoing search operations. “It was a natural tragedy on a scale we never
imagined, even though we knew that a seismic event could occur in our country,”
Rodriguez said in her first press conference since taking power in January,
after the US ousted her predecessor, Nicolas Maduro. “We did not wait one, two
or three days. We acted immediately.”Four thousand officials were deployed
immediately, she said, rising to 14,000 the day after and then again to a
current figure of 19,000. She also issued an emergency decree to activate
emergency protocols, she told journalists.“We’ve done everything in our power,
and we’ll continue to do everything in our power and more,” she said, adding
that she had visited children in hospitals who had lost limbs and were mourning
loved ones.“I’ve had to go through some very painful experiences,” Rodriguez
said.
Civilian-led response
State television has regularly shown Rodriguez meeting with military and
security officials while soldiers and police have patrolled major roads in La
Guaira and sometimes directed traffic. Still, the response to the disaster has
been led by civilians, many of them volunteers, according to Reuters witnesses.
People have spent days trying to dig out loved ones with their hands, shovels
and pickaxes, assisted by firefighters, civil protection corps, foreign rescue
teams, student doctors and nurses, civilians who normally work as teachers and
veterinarians, and occasionally a soldier. Soldiers working for days alongside
civilians in the six collapsed towers of a major public housing project in La
Guaira told Reuters they had volunteered to help there. Rodriguez said the death
toll now stood at 2,595, and the government was not yet ending its search and
rescue efforts. She did not give a tally for the missing. An unofficial but
widely used online list was down to some 38,500 on Thursday evening, after
peaking at nearly 60,000 in the days immediately after the quakes. A United
Nations envoy said this week it was procuring 10,000 body bags for Venezuela and
the US Geological Survey has estimated more than 10,000 deaths were
possible.Rodriguez lashed out at what she called “media laboratories” for
creating a perception of chaos, and said they were politically motivated. “The
first media narrative developed in these media labs was: ‘everyone head to La
Guaira,’ to create chaos and impede search-and-rescue operations,” she said,
without explanation. The IMF and World Bank have offered aid and credit for
recovery efforts, Rodriguez said. Venezuela was creating a $200 million
reconstruction fund with the IMF, and money would go to audited contractors to
reconstruct homes.
Rescues ongoing
In the days immediately after the twin tremors, much of the water, food and
other basic supplies arriving in La Guaira were ferried in by thousands of
civilians, many on motorcycles. Now, volunteers are running shelters for those
who have lost their homes, receiving some official help but setting their own
rules and creating their own tracking system for residents.At one of the main
medical centers serving the disaster zone, a hospital in the Vargas
municipality, staff and residents said the flow of patients had eased compared
with the days immediately after the quakes.About 4 miles (6 km) away, a
Brazilian Navy field hospital that began operating on Monday had treated 180
people by Thursday, according to Commander Leonel Mariano. The facility, spread
across five tents near the beach, includes an intensive care unit, operating
theater, orthopedics, pediatrics, general medicine and a pharmacy.“We are
coordinating buses to bring people here from the shelters,” Mariano said. “We
haven’t performed surgery yet, but we’ve had some intensive care cases, some
serious cases.”Doctors converted a McDonald’s restaurant in La Guaira into a
makeshift health center, treating about 200 patients a day since opening on
Friday. The site provides emergency care, donated medicines, a pharmacy and a
veterinary unit, which operates from the restaurant’s former ice cream section.
Amid the devastation, moments of survival are providing glimmers of hope for
families still searching for loved ones. Security guard Hernan Alberto Gil was
rescued from the rubble of the nine-story Galerias Playa Grande shopping center
early on Thursday, after days of work by rescue teams from El Salvador, Chile,
the United States, Portugal, Mexico, Costa Rica and Venezuela. “I’m grateful to
God for keeping him alive for so many days,” said Gusbimar Gonzalez, Gil’s wife.
“He endured it all like a warrior.”Mexican rescue teams pulled a dog named
Sarita alive from a collapsed building after her owner alerted responders to
noises beneath the debris. The dog was located by a military search-and-rescue
team and a rescue dog named Kai, and then reunited with her owner, who said the
rescue gave him hope that his missing daughter might be found alive. The
presence of security forces at collapsed buildings has at times sparked anger
among residents. Some Venezuelans have vented their frustration on social media,
sharing videos showing security officials picking through the destruction and
taking clothes, appliances and cash.Reuters has not verified the videos’
authenticity, but the Interior Ministry said four crime scene police officials
have been detained and removed from their jobs for “appropriating financial
assets acquired amid the ruins.”
The Latest LCCC analysis &
editorials from miscellaneous sources published on 03-04 July/2026
Question: What is the Ethiopian Bible, and how does it
differ from the Protestant Bible?
GotQuestions.org/July 03/2026
Answer: The Ethiopian Bible, also known as the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo
Church Bible, is the sacred scripture of one of the oldest Christian traditions
in the world. It is written primarily in Ge’ez, an ancient Semitic language no
longer spoken but still used in liturgy. The Ethiopian Bible is notable for its
size and content—it contains more books than the Protestant Bible, and it
includes texts that are not found in the canons of Roman Catholicism or Eastern
Orthodoxy. The Ethiopian Bible is used in both the Ethiopian Orthodox Church and
the Eritrean Orthodox Tewahedo Church.
One of the most significant differences between the Ethiopian Bible and the
Protestant Bible is the number of books. The Protestant Bible contains 66
books—39 in the Old Testament and 27 in the New Testament. In contrast, the
Ethiopian Bible includes 81 books (46 books in the Old Testament and 35 books in
the New Testament). Among the additional writings are books such as 1 Enoch,
Jubilees, 1—3 Meqabyan (which are different from the 1—2 Maccabees found in
Catholic Bibles), and The Book of the Covenant. These texts are considered
canonical by the Ethiopian Orthodox Church and the Eritrean Orthodox Tewahedo
Church but are regarded as apocryphal or pseudepigraphal by Protestants.
The Protestant Bible is based on the principle of sola scriptura, emphasizing
the authority of Scripture alone. Reformers such as Martin Luther affirmed the
66-book canon based on the Hebrew Bible for the Old Testament and the
universally accepted New Testament writings. The Ethiopian canon, however,
developed separately, influenced by early Jewish and Christian traditions in the
region of Ethiopia. Ethiopia’s early exposure to Christianity—traditionally
traced back to the Ethiopian eunuch’s conversion in Acts 8:26–39—allowed for the
preservation of certain Jewish-Christian texts that were not widely accepted
elsewhere.
From a theological standpoint, the Ethiopian Bible’s inclusion of books like 1
Enoch, with its sensationalistic themes and heavy angelology, is significant.
While 1 Enoch is quoted in Jude 1:14–15, it was not included in the Protestant
canon because it was not recognized as inspired Scripture by the early church
councils. The Protestant position is that the canon is closed and consists only
of those books that were universally recognized by the early church as divinely
inspired (2 Timothy 3:16–17; Hebrews 1:1–2; Revelation 22:18–19).
Another key difference between those who use the Ethiopian Bible and those who
use the Protestant Bible lies in each group’s approach to Scripture. The
Ethiopian Orthodox Church places a strong emphasis on tradition alongside
Scripture, whereas Protestantism insists that Scripture alone is the final
authority in matters of faith and practice. This distinction affects not only
the canon but also the interpretation and application of biblical teachings.
In summary, the Ethiopian Bible differs from the Protestant Bible in its canon,
language, and theological framework. While the Ethiopian Bible reflects a rich
and ancient Christian heritage, the Protestant Bible adheres to a more
universally recognized and historically affirmed set of Scriptures, grounded in
the belief that God has revealed His Word clearly and sufficiently through the
66 books of the Old and New Testaments (Psalm 119:105; John 17:17; 2 Peter
1:20–21).
UN's Human Rights 'Experts': Biased, Bought and Paid For
Robert Williams/ Gatestone Institute/July 03/2026
https://www.gatestoneinstitute.org/22658/un-human-rights-experts-biased
As of 2021, 140 judgments of the European Court of Human Rights referred to
reports by UN special rapporteurs.
"[Special Rapporteurs] are treated by leading institutions as neutral experts
and are regularly invited to address prestigious international forums and
academic institutions. Significantly, the UN affiliation enables them to
leverage that authority across social media and international media appearances,
where their statements are presented as reflecting the voice or expertise of the
United Nations." — From the UN Watch report, "How Politicized UN Rapporteurs are
Subverting Human Rights."
"Neutral"?! This inversion of reality is a huge problem. What so many of these
UN rapporteurs do could not be more sordid.
Special rapporteurs Ben Saul and Alena Douhan, for instance, have both received
generous funding from Communist China.
"[N]umerous of the so-called UN human rights experts who get quoted every day by
Reuters, the New York Times and other major media... are taking money direct
funding from China, Russia and Qatar. I'll give a few examples.... We know the
extreme case of Francesca Albanese who's the de facto spokesperson for Hamas,
spreads Hamas lies. There's no accountability. We made complaints. The chair of
the UN Committee is himself a human rights expert who himself took $50,000 from
China." — UN Watch Executive Director Hillel Neuer, May 28, 2026.
"No Palestinian applauded rape in Gaza. No independent investigation found that
rape took place on the 7th of October," Alsalem lied in November 2025 -- even
though UN Special Representative of the Secretary-General on Sexual Violence in
Conflict Pramila Patten released a 23-page report in March 2024, which concluded
that there was "clear and convincing" evidence of systematic sexual violence
committed by Hamas operatives against Israeli women both on October 7 (much of
it filmed by the terrorists themselves) and later against hostages held in the
Gaza Strip.
The contents of UN Watch's report have received no coverage in mainstream media.
A recent report by UN Watch, "How Politicized UN Rapporteurs are Subverting
Human Rights," found that 13 of the "special rapporteurs" of the United Nations
Human Rights Council, supposedly the UN's top human rights experts, "have
abandoned the role of independent monitors and are advancing politicized agendas
that erode the credibility of the international human rights system."
A recent report by UN Watch, "How Politicized UN Rapporteurs are Subverting
Human Rights," found that 13 of the "special rapporteurs" of the United Nations
Human Rights Council, supposedly the UN's top human rights experts, "have
abandoned the role of independent monitors and are advancing politicized agendas
that erode the credibility of the international human rights system."
This report matters; the UN's special rapporteurs wield substantial influence.
According to the report:
"While their findings are not legally binding, they can significantly shape
public debate, influence UN discussions, and inform how governments, media, and
civil society interpret a wide range of policy issues and alleged human rights
violations. Their reports are widely treated as credible and authoritative by
institutions such as the International Court of Justice and the International
Criminal Court, as well as by governments, media outlets, universities, and
civil society actors worldwide."
As of 2021, 140 judgments of the European Court of Human Rights referred to
reports by UN special rapporteurs. The number is staggering. The report
continues:
"[Special Rapporteurs] are treated by leading institutions as neutral experts
and are regularly invited to address prestigious international forums and
academic institutions. Significantly, the UN affiliation enables them to
leverage that authority across social media and international media appearances,
where their statements are presented as reflecting the voice or expertise of the
United Nations."
"Neutral"?! This inversion of reality is a huge problem. What so many of these
UN rapporteurs do could not be more sordid: Almost all of them harbor what UN
Watch calls "systemic anti-Western ideological bias," many of them explicitly
refrain from criticizing the world's most authoritarian states, and they are
obsessed with demonizing Israel. Many of them have been bought by the world's
most authoritarian states.
Special rapporteurs Ben Saul and Alena Douhan, for instance, have both received
generous funding from Communist China.
According to UN Watch Executive Director Hillel Neuer:
"[N]umerous of the so-called UN human rights experts who get quoted every day by
Reuters, the New York Times and other major media... are taking money direct
funding from China, Russia and Qatar. I'll give a few examples. Ben Saul, he's a
law professor at the University of Sydney. According to UN documents in 2024 he
received $150,000 from China for his activities. And surprise, surprise, he's
the expert on counterterrorism. He's never said a word to condemn China for
putting a million Uyghur Muslims into camps in the name of counterterrorism. He
hadn't... a word to say about that. Instead, he attacks Israel and America every
single day.
"There's another UN expert, her name is Alena Douhan. She received $1.3 million
from China, Russia and Qatar. And guess what? She wrote reports praising
shielding, apologizing for China, Russia and Qatar. She went on a
Chinese-organized video saying everything is fine with the Uyghurs. She visited
China to say everything is fine with the Uyghurs, blame the West. And she took
$1.3 million.... Extreme ideological bias in some cases financial corruption in
other cases it's an ideological extremism with no accountability."
Francesca Albanese, "Special Rapporteur on the Occupied Palestinian
Territories," is one of the most extreme examples of how rotten the UN human
rights system has become. According to Neuer:
"We know the extreme case of Francesca Albanese who's the de facto spokesperson
for Hamas, spreads Hamas lies. There's no accountability. We made complaints.
The chair of the UN Committee is himself a human rights expert who himself took
$50,000 from China."
Reem Alsalem, a Jordanian woman who is "Special Rapporteur on Violence Against
Women and Girls," is also among the most problematic human rights "experts" of
the UN. Nearly three years after October 7, she continues to deny that Israeli
women were sexually assaulted and raped by Hamas and other Gazan terrorists
during their invasion of southern Israel on October 7, 2023. Not only that, but
in a March 2024 interview, Alsalem even claimed with a straight face that she
had not heard about missiles being fired on Israeli cities by Hamas from the
Gaza Strip and Hezbollah from Lebanon.
"No Palestinian applauded rape in Gaza. No independent investigation found that
rape took place on the 7th of October," Alsalem lied in November 2025 -- even
though UN Special Representative of the Secretary-General on Sexual Violence in
Conflict Pramila Patten released a 23-page report in March 2024, which concluded
that there was "clear and convincing" evidence of systematic sexual violence
committed by Hamas operatives against Israeli women both on October 7 (much of
it filmed by the terrorists themselves) and later against hostages held in the
Gaza Strip.
In April, Amsalem repeated her lies, saying that the sexual violence against
Israelis on October 7 constituted "misinformation" used by Israel to "justify
genocide."
Amsalem received $70,000 from Saudi Arabia in 2024, and the next year $100,000
from the Gulf Cooperation Council, which comprises Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Kuwait,
Bahrain, Oman, and the United Arab Emirates. Last month she defended receiving
the funds by claiming "that the contributions were disclosed under UN
transparency rules, administered by the UN human rights office, and did not
influence her work," according to UN Watch.
Alice Jill Edwards, "Special Rapporteur on Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or
Degrading Treatment or Punishment," on the other hand, has been praised by UN
Watch for her efforts to document and speak up about the atrocities committed by
Hamas on October 7, 2023. Unfortunately, her colleagues tried to bully her into
silence. According to UN Watch:
"U.N. special rapporteur Alice Edwards—one of just two experts to sign a
statement on the October 7 atrocities—says: 'There was a campaign [by other
rapporteurs] to prevent that letter going out. Weeks of being bullied and
deterred from writing it, telling me everything in it was false.'"
Speaking on a panel at University College London on June 9, 2026, Edwards said:
"That letter is a set of allegations of what happened on October 7; it was only
signed by the Special Rapporteur on summary extrajudicial killings and me. Some
other special rapporteurs and working groups had wanted to sign on, but they
also had been bullied by others not to sign on, and there was this concerted
effort for this letter not to put on record some allegations that had been
received. There was a campaign to prevent that letter from going out. There were
weeks of being bullied and deterred from writing it and telling me that
everything in it was false."
Edwards also visited the Israeli communities that had been attacked, met hostage
families, and watched the footage filmed by the terrorists themselves during the
massacre. "I understand I'm the only Special Rapporteur who has ever requested
to go to the Israeli mission to see the video and the documented evidence," she
said.
The contents of UN Watch's report have received no coverage in mainstream media.
No human rights NGOs have taken the least interest, nor has any politician,
except for one: Lord Alton of Liverpool, who is chair of the UK Parliament's
Joint Committee on Human Rights, asked the UK government for its assessment of
the report's damning findings about the 13 UN special rapporteurs and whether it
supports UN Watch's calls to hold the them accountable and ban outside funding
for them. He received a response that was more than embarrassing, but extremely
telling about the kind of governments that have ascended to power in the West.
Baroness Chapman of Darlington, Minister of State (Development) answered in a
written statement:
"The UK continues to welcome the crucial role played by the United Nations'
network of special rapporteurs and experts in several countries and regions
around the world, as well as on specific issues of concern. However, in order to
maintain the confidence of the international community in those roles, it is
important that each rapporteur or expert upholds the highest standards of
independence and objectivity, and we will always make clear when we believe any
individual has fallen short of those standards."
Oh, really?
*Robert Williams is based in the United States.
© 2026 Gatestone Institute. All rights reserved. The articles printed here do
not necessarily reflect the views of the Editors or of Gatestone Institute.
Inside Hezbollah's Tunnels: The Hidden Price of an
Underground War
Jeremy Brecher & Ralph Atrach/This Is Beirut/July 03/2026
In the late hours of June 28, a massive Israeli demolition beneath the southern
Lebanese town of Majdal Zoun shook the area with such force that Israeli
authorities warned beforehand it might trigger earthquake alerts. The target was
a vast Hezbollah tunnel network, stretching 200 meters and reaching depths of 25
meters, containing arms caches and launch shafts for firing rockets into Israel.
Days later, an Israeli airstrike killed a Hezbollah operative as he emerged from
a tunnel in the Ali al-Taher Hills, where the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) have
laid siege to dozens of Hezbollah operatives inside another massive subterranean
complex.
Israel has refused to withdraw from the complex, believed to be the largest in
southern Lebanon, even as it scales back military operations elsewhere following
the June 20 truce. "This is an underground military fortress that Hezbollah
spent twenty years constructing," IDF Chief of Staff Eyal Zamir said on June
21.Israel’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs said that Hezbollah had spent "hundreds
of millions of dollars" constructing its underground network. The figure
highlights the immense financial resources Hezbollah devoted to military
infrastructure in a country grappling with one of the worst economic crises in
modern history.
As Israel closes in on Hezbollah's tunnel compounds along the southern border,
the economic and human cost of these complexes is coming into focus. This is
Beirut spoke with experts to examine Hezbollah's tunnel network, how it
functions, and the price Lebanon has paid for its vast underground military
infrastructure.
The Underground Doctrine
Hezbollah's reliance on underground military infrastructure reflects the broader
military doctrine of the Iran-led “Resistance Axis.” “Tunneling is part of what
the Axis does,” retired Israel Defense Forces (IDF) brigadier general Assaf
Orion told This is Beirut.
The use of tunnels by the "Resistance Axis" dates back decades to when the Assad
regime in Syria incorporated them into its ballistic missile program. The
strategy was possibly inspired by North Korea, Orion said. “Iran then adopted it
with missile cities and in its nuclear sites, including Fordow and Pickaxe
Mountain,” he added.
Following the 2006 War, Hezbollah developed an underground tunnel network with
Iranian support, drawing on North Korean tunnelling expertise, according to an
August 2021 report by the Israeli Alma Research and Education Center.
This interconnected tunnel network, the Alma Research and Education Center said,
linked Hezbollah's command centers, logistics hubs, and military positions
across Lebanon. "Hezbollah's model is the same as the North Korean model:
tunnels in which hundreds of combatants, fully equipped, can pass stealthily and
rapidly underground," the report said.
While Hezbollah shares the Iranian-led axis’s reliance on underground military
infrastructure, the militia has tailored its approach to Lebanon's unique
operational landscape. "Unlike in Gaza, with a crisscross of interconnected
tunnels, in Lebanon I think it's more at the local compound level," Orion said.
"It's not a nationwide network."
Hezbollah has turned to tunnels to counter Israel's dominance in the air. “The
underground [strategy] tries to offset Israel's top-sight and airstrike
capabilities as it provides both a hiding place and a hardened shelter,” Orion
said.
A Lebanese military source told This Is Beirut that many of Hezbollah's
underground compounds in southern Lebanon are built deep beneath mountains,
making them extremely difficult to destroy with conventional airstrikes.
Israel lacks the specialized bunker-busting munitions required to collapse
Hezbollah’s deepest tunnel shafts. While airstrikes can seal or damage tunnel
entrances, fighters operating inside can often clear the rubble or use
alternative exits connected through an extensive underground network, the source
explained.This tactical advantage, however, can be neutralized by ground forces.
“Once you find a tunnel shaft, you can exploit it and destroy it,” Orion said.
The effectiveness of tunnels depends on keeping them secret, he said, adding
that Hezbollah has lost much of that advantage.
How Does Hezbollah Use its Tunnels?
Hezbollah’s tunnel network consists of a variety of facilities, each meant for a
different mission, from small launch sites to sprawling subterranean complexes
capable of sustaining prolonged military operation. A Lebanese military source
familiar with Hezbollah's underground infrastructure described the network's
different components to This Is Beirut.
As part of its rocket arsenal, Hezbollah uses tunnels designed for one-time use
against Israel. These small tunnels contain a single BM-21 rocket launcher
equipped with short-range rockets, the source said, adding that they are
pre-aimed at Israeli territory.
When ready to launch against Israel, the launcher is raised remotely from the
tunnel, the source said. “Once it is fired, the Israelis immediately detect its
location and strike both the launcher’s position and the tunnel itself.”
Hezbollah uses larger and more sophisticated tunnels designed to accommodate
longer-range rocket launchers capable of striking targets deep inside Israel.
These include the Fadi-2 and Nasr-1 rocket systems, which can reportedly reach
distances of up to 150 kilometers, placing Tel Aviv within range, according to
the source.
These larger underground facilities include storage areas for rockets and
ammunition, toilets, and sleeping quarters for fighters, the source said. “They
are typically built beneath hills and elevated terrain, where the geography
provides additional protection and concealment,” the source added.
Hezbollah has constructed even larger tunnels housing medium-range missiles —
including Fateh 110 and Qader 2 ballistic missiles — as well as guided unmanned
aerial vehicles (UAVs). These facilities are “spiderweb tunnels,” like the one
Israel destroyed in Majdal Zoun, and can house “more than 100 militants,” the
source added.
These complex underground networks include missile storage areas, a field
clinic, bedrooms, and communications rooms. “These tunnels are electrified,” the
source said, adding that “vehicle-mounted launchers can move easily through them
like they are underground roads.”
Hezbollah Media Department
Video showing launcher-mounted vehicles and motorcycles moving through a
Hezbollah underground tunnel Hezbollah Media Department
The Ali al-Taher complex surrounded by the IDF is one of the most sophisticated
of these underground complexes in southern Lebanon, the source said, describing
it as a “spiderweb” of interconnected tunnels with multiple concealed entrances
leading to nearby villages.
Given the site's strategic location and its role in housing weapons, missiles,
and UAVs, the source said the tunnel network enables Hezbollah to move personnel
and equipment underground, reducing their exposure to aerial surveillance.
The Lebanese military source added that missile launches from the Ali al-Taher
sector have, in some cases, been carried out from underground launch positions
rather than exposed surface batteries, complicating Israeli targeting efforts.
The nature of Hezbollah's tunnel infrastructure in southern Lebanon differs from
that beneath Beirut, the source said. While tunnels in the south are primarily
designed for military operations, logistics, and missile launches, underground
facilities in the Beirut area are mainly used as command-and-control centers,
communications hubs, and strategic storage sites.
Some of these facilities have also been used to store anti-ship missiles,
including the Iranian-manufactured Noor missile, a variant of the Chinese C-802
cruise missile, the source added.
The Cost of Going Underground
Lebanon is bearing the burden of Hezbollah's underground infrastructure, both
economically and in terms of civilian lives. Hezbollah has long employed a
military strategy of embedding its assets within populated areas, particularly
Shia-populated villages, Orion said.
As a consequence, civilian communities have been directly impacted by
Hezbollah's conflicts with Israel, he added. The result has been widespread
destruction and damage to southern Lebanon's social fabric. “It’s not only a
loss of Hezbollah’s military assets embedded inside civilian areas. It’s also
the loss of the property of the Shia,” Orion said.
“They’re losing their homes and villages because they allowed Hezbollah to use
them for military purposes,” he added.
Israeli military strikes have also targeted engineering equipment, including
tractors, cranes, and excavators, used in Hezbollah's tunneling operations,
Orion said. In one of the largest such strikes, Israel targeted a depot housing
bulldozers and excavators in Msayleh on October 11, 2025, destroying more than
300 vehicles.
Illustrating how Hezbollah has used civilian engineering equipment for military
purposes, the militia reportedly signed an estimated $13 million agreement with
North Korea's Korea Mining Development Trading Corporation (KOMID) in 2014 to
acquire excavation equipment and engineering materials for constructing its
underground tunnel network in Lebanon.
Beyond triggering Israeli strikes that endanger civilian lives and property,
Hezbollah’s tunneling projects are part of a military infrastructure that
imposes severe knock-on effects on Lebanon’s economy. In effect, Hezbollah’s
illicit financial networks support the building of its underground complexes
that help bury Lebanon’s legitimate economy.
Hezbollah’s Hundreds of Millions of Dollars: Tunnels versus South Lebanon’s
Development This is Beirut
Former Lebanese Economy Minister Nicolas Nahhas said that Hezbollah’s military
activities were generating a “war economy” unsustainable for the Lebanese state
and its public finances while causing capital flight. For Nahhas, the funds
Hezbollah used for its military apparatus represent money lost for civilian
infrastructure.
“If Hezbollah is spending even $100 million on tunnels, that money could have
been used to build and support infrastructure in Lebanon,” he said, noting that
the total infrastructure budget of the Lebanese government itself is only around
$600–700 million annually.
Former U.S. Department of the Treasury official Hagar Chemali said these
resources could have had a significant impact had they instead been invested in
public infrastructure and Lebanese businesses. “It could have been used for
electricity, water, infrastructure, and roads, and non-business-related efforts
like schools, hospitals, and social services in general,” she added.
“If there is no investment to build businesses in Lebanon—manufacturing
businesses, pharmaceutical businesses, engineering businesses, construction
companies, technology firms—then all of Lebanon’s highly educated people end up
leaving,” Chemali said.
The institutions behind the future economy
Jonathan Grant/Arab News/July 03/2026
When people talk about the future economy, they often focus on technologies.
Artificial intelligence, biotechnology, advanced manufacturing, clean energy.
But we need to understand that technologies do not create themselves.
Behind every breakthrough is a system that develops talent, generates knowledge,
and connects ideas to real-world problems. The countries that succeed in the
coming decades will not simply be those that adopt new technologies fastest.
They will be those that build institutions capable of creating and applying
them.This matters because the global conversation about economic development
often focuses on visible outcomes: new industries, successful startups, advanced
technologies, and major infrastructure projects. What receives less attention is
the long-term work required to make those outcomes possible.
We often celebrate the end result of innovation — the startup, the new
technology, the medical discovery. What receives less attention is where these
things begin. Traditionally, many breakthroughs emerged from researchers
pursuing questions driven by curiosity and a desire to expand human knowledge.
Today, governments around the world are increasingly asking for research to
address specific societal challenges, from food security and water scarcity to
healthcare and artificial intelligence.
This is sometimes presented as a choice between curiosity-driven and
challenge-led research. Countries need both. Some of the most important advances
come from unexpected discoveries, while others emerge when researchers,
policymakers, industry, and society come together around a shared problem. For
much of the last century, universities were often judged by two measures: how
many students they educated and how much research they produced. Both remain
important. But increasingly, countries need institutions that do more than
educate and publish. They need institutions that can bring together researchers,
industry, policymakers, and entrepreneurs to tackle complex challenges that no
single discipline can solve alone.
Saudi Arabia has long invested in desalination technologies to secure freshwater
supplies. Yet meeting future water needs will require more than scaling existing
solutions. It will require new scientific research. At KAUST, researchers
recently developed a new desalination membrane that can produce freshwater from
seawater and highly concentrated brines using significantly less energy than
conventional approaches. The technology is already in pilot-scale testing. It
shows how mission-driven research can address a national challenge while
creating knowledge with global relevance.
Healthcare provides another example. Some of the most promising advances in
medicine are emerging at the intersection of disciplines that rarely worked
together in the past. At KAUST, researchers recently developed a nanoscale drug
delivery system that enables cells to produce therapeutic molecules from within
the body itself.
The discovery draws on expertise from biology, chemistry, materials science and
engineering. No single discipline could have delivered it alone. It is also a
reminder that transformative innovations often begin long before there is a
product, company or commercial application. They start with researchers
exploring difficult questions and institutions willing to support that work over
the long term.
Consider how new agricultural technologies reach the field. A scientific
breakthrough does not improve food security simply because it is published in a
journal. It must be tested, refined, scaled and adopted.
At KAUST, years of research into soil health and plant biology have led to
technologies such as Terraxy, which are designed to restore degraded soils in
challenging environments. The science is important, but so is the system that
helps turn discovery into something people can use. That process requires
researchers, entrepreneurs, industry partners, and end users working together.
This is why the traditional distinction between “basic” and “applied” research
is becoming less useful.
The challenges countries face today do not fit neatly into those categories.
Water security requires both fundamental scientific discovery and practical
implementation, so does healthcare, so does energy, so does AI.The most
effective research institutions recognize this reality. Their role is not simply
to generate knowledge. It is to create environments where discovery, innovation,
and application can reinforce one another. This is one reason institutions such
as KAUST are increasingly focusing on societal challenges by adopting a
different “mission-driven” model. Alongside education and research, the
university is designed to connect scientific discovery with innovation, industry
partnerships, and real-world impact. Not because every research project should
have an immediate commercial or social outcome, but because societies benefit
when knowledge can move more effectively between the laboratory and the
challenges people face every day. AI is making this conversation even more
important. Much of the debate focuses on what AI might replace. A more useful
question is what AI makes possible. AI will accelerate discovery, improve
productivity, and help researchers process information at scale. But it will not
eliminate the need for institutions that develop talent, build expertise, and
create the conditions for new knowledge to emerge.
The future economy will not be built by technology alone. It will be built by
people, ideas and the institutions and ecosystems that bring them together.
Countries that understand this will be best positioned to create the industries,
capabilities, and opportunities that define the decades ahead.
**Prof. Jonathan Grant is the vice president for strategic initiatives at KAUST.
How to train today’s youth to thrive in the AI era
Dr. Majid Rafizadeh/Arab News/July 03/2026
As we transition into the early stages of the artificial intelligence-driven
era, it is important to discern and cultivate skills that will underpin
productivity, innovation and creativity.
The rapid proliferation of AI technologies is not merely automating routine
tasks but also fundamentally reshaping labor markets, reconfiguring industrial
architectures and redefining professional success.
According to projections from leading global analyses, including the World
Economic Forum’s “Future of Jobs Report,” technological skills — particularly
those intersecting with AI and big data — are poised to surge in demand,
outpacing traditional competencies in the coming years.
This transformation can be viewed as presenting both opportunities and
challenges for the younger generation. It also necessitates being proactive when
it comes to educational trajectories, career aspirations and personal
development.
Central to thriving in this landscape is a dual emphasis on technical
proficiency and some key human attributes. On the technical front, core skills
can include machine learning and deep learning fundamentals, advanced
programming, data literacy, engineering and analytics. In addition, roles such
as cybersecurity specialists and cloud architects are experiencing robust
growth. The mastery of tools that equip individuals to build, refine and govern
intelligent systems is vital. One key domain is robotics.
This transformation can be viewed as presenting both opportunities and
challenges for the younger generation
It is projected that majors in computer science, with specializations in AI or
machine learning, data science, statistics, cybersecurity and software
engineering are likely to command sustained high demand. These fields are key
because they also provide societal benefit, such as AI-driven healthcare
diagnostics.
Gaining expertise in areas less susceptible to wholesale automation, including
medicine, nursing, law, engineering and clinical psychology, is another option.
This is because these areas require nuanced judgment, ethical deliberation and
trust.
Another important area is the skills that amplify AI’s utility. For example,
employers are increasingly prioritizing attributes such as adaptability,
critical thinking, creativity, emotional intelligence, empathy, communication
and ethical decision-making.
Reports have underscored that such skills are not ancillary but foundational.
The greatest career opportunities will likely coalesce around increasing the
productivity of AI rather than replacing it. As a result, specialists in machine
learning, AI ethics officers, product managers, data strategists and healthcare
informatics will be in strong demand.
The good news is that many nations are embedding AI literacy into their national
curricula and workforce development programs, recognizing that human capital is
the linchpin of competitive advantage in the AI era.
For example, Singapore’s Smart Nation initiative integrates AI across education,
emphasizing personalized learning, teacher augmentation and ethical literacy in
an effort to position the city-state as a global leader by 2030. Finland has
pioneered free online AI coursework and multidisciplinary research into
equitable AI deployment in learning environments, bolstering its renowned
education system.
In addition, Estonia’s ambitious AI Leap program, launched in partnership with
entities like OpenAI, provides nationwide access to advanced AI tools for
secondary students and teachers, training cohorts in effective utilization while
prioritizing pedagogical integrity.
Career opportunities will likely coalesce around increasing the productivity of
AI rather than replacing it
Gulf Cooperation Council countries are aggressively pursuing AI-driven
diversification to reduce their dependence on oil and empower their young
people. Through the Saudi Data and Artificial Intelligence Authority, Saudi
Arabia has rolled out a comprehensive national AI curriculum across public
schools and higher education, alongside partnerships for youth training in
digital skills.
The UAE appointed the world’s first minister for AI in 2017 and continues with
its National AI Strategy 2031, including mandatory AI education from
kindergarten through grade 12. Initiatives like the Mohammed bin Zayed
University of Artificial Intelligence and widespread skilling programs
underscore the country’s commitment to fostering a tech-savvy populace.
Qatar’s National Skilling Program aims to train tens of thousands of school
pupils in AI and data science, while broader efforts in the Middle East and
North Africa region, including Google’s investments in literacy, aim to bridge
gaps.
Such investments not only cultivate technical talent but also address youth
unemployment by aligning education with emerging economic realities.
They also illustrate another broader truth that proactive governmental and
institutional investment in AI education will yield benefits in innovation
capacity and social landscapes. In other words, one can say that, by
prioritizing science, technology, engineering and math integration, ethical
frameworks and lifelong learning, these nations are equipping their youth to
efficiently navigate the new era rather than succumb to it.
In a nutshell, as we advance deeper into the AI era, countries like Singapore,
Estonia, Finland, Saudi Arabia and the UAE exemplify the forward-looking
investments that will empower the next generation through targeted skilling and
systemic educational reform. For younger individuals and nations alike,
preparation means having foresight, curriculum reform, accessible training
platforms, public-private partnerships and a cultural embrace of AI.
*Dr. Majid Rafizadeh is a Harvard-educated Iranian-American political scientist.
X: @Dr_Rafizadeh
Disarming Hezbollah the only way forward for Lebanon
Khaled Abou Zahr/Arab News/July 03/2026
Lebanon and Israel last week signed in Washington the US-brokered framework that
provides for a phased Israeli withdrawal from southern Lebanon, while the
Lebanese Armed Forces assumes control and works to prevent armed groups from
operating there. Since it was signed, what I describe as the Lebanese “woke”
left of analysts and opinion leaders have been relentless in criticizing this
agreement.
Stating their “selfless and human” opinion, which they treat as the self-evident
truth, they describe the agreement as asymmetric and declare Lebanon’s limited
leverage, along with the US’ likely pro-Israel bias as a mediator. Other voices
condemned it as a capitulation that fails to secure a full Israeli withdrawal,
risks domestic confrontation between the army and Hezbollah, and may block
international accountability for alleged war crimes.
In short, these opinions of supposedly independent thinkers are fully aligned
with those of Hezbollah’s leaders and members. They might have voiced even
stronger opposition. They are in full agreement with Hezbollah Secretary-General
Naim Qassem’ statements, which rejected the deal as “null and void,” describing
it as “humiliating, shameful and a surrender of sovereignty.” Qassem added that
it legitimizes the Israeli occupation by conditioning withdrawal on Hezbollah’s
disarmament.
These critics repeated the veiled threat of lawmaker Hassan Fadlallah, who
warned the agreement could spark “internal conflict,” meaning Hezbollah’s
willingness to engage in a civil war. Finally, they are also in harmony with
Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri, who called the deal an attempt to incite strife
and stated “it will not be implemented.”
This IRGC-backed terrorist group has caused the greatest harm to the territorial
integrity and prosperity of the country
What I find fascinating is that this “woke” Lebanese bourgeois left is so
worried and undignified about the impact this framework might have on Lebanon’s
sovereignty, yet it does not have the same fear for the country’s sovereignty
that is currently being flouted by Hezbollah and the Iranian Islamic
Revolutionary Guard Corps. This, for them, is fine and acceptable. Hezbollah’s
theft of the decision of war and peace in Lebanon is acceptable to them. The
military arsenal held by Hezbollah outside the state does not raise questions
about sovereignty. The fact that Hezbollah threatens Lebanese critics before
anyone else is not something that sparks their outrage. It is easier to look the
other way.
Let us ask a few questions. Who invited Israel to control a military buffer zone
in southern Lebanon ? Who dragged the entire country into a conflict that does
not concern it? Who has consistently destroyed the country’s sovereignty and
corrupted its institutions? The answer is clear: Hezbollah.
This is why these leftists do not criticize Hezbollah — just like them, it
benefits from a weak state that can be bled white. They see the agreement to
disarm Hezbollah before any Israeli withdrawal as a risk to the country’s
territorial integrity. Yet they fail to answer how Hezbollah protected this
integrity. The reality is Hezbollah has destroyed it. This IRGC-backed terrorist
group has caused the greatest harm to the territorial integrity and prosperity
of the country.
President Joseph Aoun and Prime Minister Nawaf Salam have rightly defended the
framework as a necessary “first step” toward restoring sovereignty, ending
hostilities and enabling reconstruction with US and international support. There
is no doubt that this framework’s application is not easy, but it is also
without doubt the right roadmap toward stability.
Moreover, it is Lebanon’s responsibility and the demand of an overwhelming
number of Lebanese to disarm Hezbollah and have the state regain its sovereign
decision-making duty. There is no other way to be able to negotiate, whether
with Israel or Syria, a better future for the entire Levant.
There is no doubt that this framework’s application is not easy, but it is also
without doubt the right roadmap toward stability
Lebanon needs unity in order to succeed in making this framework work and to
negotiate a long-term peace agreement with Israel. These critics are making it
more difficult and emboldening Hezbollah’s position of defiance. By repeatedly
stating that Hezbollah is Lebanese and that it is a resistance movement, they
are also echoing what the new breed of orientalists in Western capitals are
claiming.
It looks as if Lebanon and its never-ending conflicts and destruction fulfill
these people’s need for a living and their wish to show granular knowledge. So,
they go on repeating the nonsense that Hezbollah is part of the Lebanese fabric
and stating the fantasy that there is a political and a military wing. They see
themselves as compassionate to the people of the Levant when, in fact, they are
the IRGC’s useful idiots.Aoun needs to find a way for the Lebanese Armed Forces
to play the central role in restoring state authority. He needs and deserves the
support of all Lebanese in achieving this. Those on the Lebanese left need to
start loving the country’s own army more than they adore giving legitimacy to
Hezbollah. What they are stating and doing is dangerous and destructive.
It is not an easy agreement to execute but it can allow the army to gradually
assume exclusive security control over southern Lebanon and eventually extend it
to the entire country. But all this is pending the disarmament of all nonstate
armed groups like Hezbollah.
Acknowledging that Hezbollah has brought destruction upon the country, as well
as the need to disarm it, should be done not for the sake of the framework but
for the future of the country. Establishing a monopoly on weapons and
sovereignty and extending state authority via the armed forces is the only way
forward for Lebanon and its people.
**Khaled Abou Zahr is the founder of SpaceQuest Ventures, a space-focused
investment platform. He is the CEO of EurabiaMedia and editor of Al-Watan Al-Arabi.
Selected Face Book & X tweets on
03 July
Zéna Mansour ܙܺܝܢܵܐ ܡܲܢܨܘܪ
Asking Syria’s new transitional government to 'help us push Iranian influence
out of Lebanon' is the same mistake Frangieh and Gemayel made in the 1970s. Back
then, they asked Hafez al-Assad and Syria to 'help us push Palestinian influence
out of Lebanon'.. When will we learn from the past?
As for Al-Shaibani’s visit to Lebanon... The cheering was at its highest. Some
Maronite and Christian support was even louder than the support linked to the
Druze, but it doesn't represent truly their conscience..
Mark Dubowitz
Regime officials claim it’s too dangerous for Mojtaba Khamenei to attend his
father’s funeral.
Israel isn’t going to strike him there. So what’s the danger? That 80–90% of
Iranians want him dead? That he’s already dead? Or that he’s so badly injured he
can’t appear in public?
The Hidden Imam remains hidden.
Rafael Dahan ✡︎
https://x.com/rafaeldahan/status/2072802766582329562/video/1
ISRAEL DOES NOT FORGET - THE MOSSAD DOES NOT FORGET! 🇮🇱
The Hamas terrorist Zaher Khalil, who on October 7, 2023, abducted, raped, and
murdered two Israeli girls, was killed during an intelligence operation by the
IDF.
He had assumed a new identity and was living as a street vendor in Gaza. At
least he won't be coming to the Netherlands or Belgium. 💀
Gideon Sa'ar | גדעון סער
Translated from Hebrew
The nauseating words of Turkey's Foreign Minister @HakanFidan
constitute clear incitement to genocide. Dehumanization of the Jewish people and
portraying them as an "unbearable burden" is the classic language of history's
greatest tyrants. The enlightened world and Turkey's allies in NATO must
unequivocally condemn this explicit call for Israel's destruction.
Ambassador Mike Waltz
https://x.com/USAmbUN/status/2072736749671878682/video/1
Iran will not silence us on our own soil. That might work in Tehran, but not in
the UN Security Council.
We will tell the truth.
Ambassador Mike Huckabee
https://x.com/nasdaily/status/2072318373732732967/video/1
This great post by @nasdaily puts a spotlight on @Hadassah Medical Center in
Jerusalem-named by US News as one of the Top 10 hospitals in the world. An
American hospital & amazing source of innovation & world class healthcare where
Jews, Christians, Muslims work together.
Nuseir Yassin
I went to an Israeli hospital.I wanted to make this video for the last 7 years.
This is what I grew up seeing. Now, you can see it too. Thank you @Hadassah for
giving me access!
Jerusalem News Syndicate
https://x.com/JNS_org/status/2072727450618868045/video/1
On this week's Israel Undiplomatic, @MarkRegev and @RuthieBlum ask whether
Turkey could become Israel's next major strategic challenge. From Erdoğan's
support for Hamas to Turkey's growing regional ambitions, they examine why
Israel may need to keep a close eye on Ankara as the Middle East enters a new
chapter.
Gazelle غزاله شارمهد
https://x.com/GazelleSharmahd/status/2072733181850329256/video/1
@GazelleSharmahd
They speak Arabic.
They fund Hamas & Hezbollah.
They hang Iranians every 3 hours. They are Iran’s enemy number 1.
But the media calls THEM Iranian?
Would you call Nazis “French” for speaking French in occupied Paris?
These are not Iran’s leaders. They are Iran’s occupiers.
Stop giving OUR NAME to our killers.
A message to @VP
— strike three.
@JDVance
You described the Islamist practice of taqiyya as “a Persian trick.”
Taqiyya is an Arabic term. “Persian” refers to an ethnic and cultural
identity—not to an Islamist doctrine.The central pillar of Iranian
civilization—and Zoroastrian faith—is Truth (Asha). Truthfulness is in fact its
highest virtue. Ayatollahs are the complete opposite of anything Iranian. They
are fundamentally 100% ANTI-Iranian. Don’t confuse the culture and virtues of an
ancient people with the ideology of those who have occupied and killed them.
יצחק הרצוג Isaac Herzog
I called the President-elect of Colombia and a great friend of Israel, Abelardo
De La Espriella
@ABDELAESPRIELLA , to congratulate him on his election victory. I look forward
to working together to put the relations between Israel and Colombia back on
track, and I invited him to visit Israel upon taking office.
Embassy of Israel to the USA
Another Hezbollah underground military compound is gone. Constructed with
Iranian backing, the site concealed missile launch shafts and massive stockpiles
of weapons intended for attacks against Israel.
Every terrorist stronghold dismantled is another step toward reducing Iran's
influence in Lebanon and making the region more secure.
charles chartouni
https://x.com/WHLeavitt/status/2072932741994131755/video/1
When you allow Islamists to enter the US, this is what you get, listen to this
malevolent hysteric Noora Shalash. She is openly boastful about her willingness
to work with al Qaida and ISIS, Jail and immediate deportation.
Hussain Abdul-Hussain
Saudi government pays respect to late Islamic Iran Supreme Leader Khamenei.
Iran pummeled Saudi Arabia with ballistic missiles and explosive drones, and now
took Hormuz Strait.
This is too much “wisdom.”
Ambassador Yechiel (Michael) Leiter
Turkey’s Foreign Minister, Hakan Fidan, says Israel is a "burden on humanity."
Like the Nazi propagandists before him, Fidan projects his own sense of utter
insignificance onto the Jewish people. History has already judged Nazi
propagandists like Julius Streicher, and it will judge Fidan as well. And as for
the real “burdens on humanity,” Fidan should focus on explaining the murderous
ideology of the Muslim Brotherhood that he and his president advocate, the
Iranian money that passes unchecked through Turkey to Hamas and Hizbollah, and
the use of Istanbul as a terrorist hub. Fidan and his boss might want to also
abandon their expansionist dreams of restoring the Ottoman Empire…talking about
burdens.
Mossad Commentary
https://x.com/MOSSADil/status/2073074295845118403/video/1
BREAKING | — Russian envoy Dmitry Medvedev, Saudi Deputy Foreign Minister Waleed
Abdulkarim El Khereiji, and Lebanese Defense Minister Michel Menassa paid
tribute at the coffin of former Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei in Tehran on Friday.
Nadine Barakat
While Israel is handling disarmament of IRGC proxies in Lebanon,
While Lebanon and Israel and their people are paying the price for all this
chaos,
Lebanon sends a rep to attend the funeral of the head of IRGC.
That’s Joseph Aoun, who is refusing to meet with @netanyahu
..Aoun refused to disarm and LIED … and when Israel took on the mission, he went
paid his respect to IRGC. That’s Obama-Soros strong presence in the Middle East.
This President represents the radical left wing , and he clearly does NOT
represent the Lebanese ..
Michael Oren
In becoming Israel’s ambassador to the United States, I had to renounce my U.S.
citizenship—a very painful process. But, in doing so, I wrote a statement of my
profound gratitude to America, the country that gave shelter to my grandparents,
opportunity and security to my parents, and, to me, the values of tolerance,
justice, equality. Those same ideals, I wrote, helped make me a Zionist and
continued to guide me as a public servant of the Jewish state. I am grateful
still and proud of my American heritage. With all my heart, I want to wish happy
birthday to the still exceptional United States of America!