English LCCC Newsbulletin For Lebanese, Lebanese Related, Global News & Editorials
For July 07/2026
Compiled & Prepared by: Elias Bejjani
#elias_bejjani_news

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https://eliasbejjaninews.com/aaaanewsfor2026/english.july07.26.htm

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Bible Quotations For today
Whoever listens to you listens to me, and whoever rejects you rejects me, and whoever rejects me rejects the one who sent me
Holy Gospel of Jesus Christ according to Saint Luke 10/13-16:”‘Woe to you, Chorazin! Woe to you, Bethsaida! For if the deeds of power done in you had been done in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago, sitting in sackcloth and ashes. But at the judgement it will be more tolerable for Tyre and Sidon than for you. And you, Capernaum, will you be exalted to heaven? No, you will be brought down to Hades.‘Whoever listens to you listens to me, and whoever rejects you rejects me, and whoever rejects me rejects the one who sent me.

Titles For Latest English LCCC Lebanese & Lebanese Related News & Editorials published on 06-07 July/2026
Khamenei's Funeral Turned Quranic Verses into Diplomatic Tools Serving Iran's Terrorist, Sectarian, and Expansionist Project/Elias Bejjani/July 06/2026
Conscience in Faith Concepts: The Divine Voice Dwelling in Man/Elias Bejjani/July 05/2025
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
Video link and interview transcript from Spot Shot with director and writer Youssef Y. El-Khoury
Aoun says Israeli occupation undermines legitimacy of Lebanese state
President Aoun thanks UAE for lifting travel restrictions to Lebanon
Israeli strike on south kills 4, including 3 women
Claims of annexation: Lebanese border communities unite to reject Netanyahu's allegations
Netanyahu claims some Lebanese Christian villages 'asked to be annexed' by Israel
In south Lebanon, Israel army chief vows to act 'decisively' against Hezbollah
Israel conditions withdrawal from pilot zones on Lebanese Army readiness
Berri hails stances of Christian border towns after Netanyahu claim
Senior source to LBCI: US General expected in Beirut to launch pilot zones under Lebanon-Israel framework
Israel conditions withdrawal from pilot zones on Lebanese Army readiness
Geagea to Jumblat: History does not move backward
Fadlallah lauds Arab League chief, says Christian border towns committed to Lebanon
Washington Dinner Brings Together Lebanese and Israeli Figures Amid Emerging Peace Efforts/Ralph Atrach & Amal Chmouny//This is Beirut/July 06/2026
Hezbollah's Lebanese Allies Are Ready to Dump It/Hussain Abdul-Hussain/This is Beirut/July 06/2026
The Story of the Light at the Tomb of Saint Charbel/George Hayek/Facebook/July 5, 2026
Europe’s Offer to Help Strengthen Lebanon’s Sovereignty: Ensuring U.S. Coordination/Souhire Medini/The Washington Institute/July 06/2026
The Israel-Lebanon Framework Agreement Will Only Succeed if Washington Enforces It/David Daoud and Justin Leopold-Cohen/FDD-Policy Brief/July 06/2026
Abolishing Lebanon’s ‘Anti-Normalization’ Laws: A Prerequisite for Peace/David Schenker/The Washington Institute/published on Jul 01/2026
Between Al-Sharaa's Interview and Al-Shaibani's Visit/Nadim Qoteish/Asas Media/July 06/2026

Titles For The Latest English LCCC Miscellaneous Reports And News published on 06-07 July/2026
Khamenei funeral procession begins in Tehran as huge crowds expected
Trump says there will either be a deal with Iran or US will ‘finish the job’
UKMTO says tanker catches fire after projectile strike east of Oman’s Limah
France’s Macron visits Syria, in first trip by an EU head of state since toppling al-Assad
Syria president hails France's 'constructive role' in transition as Macron visits
Israel parliament advances bill for inquiry into Oct. 7 failures
Hamas dissolves Gaza governing body: Group official
UN deems Israel’s detention of Gaza doctor ‘arbitrary’ as health fears mount
Al-Alimi calls for international investigation into IRGC plane landing in Sanaa
Trump to meet with Ukraine's Zelensky and Syria's al-Sharaa during NATO summit
Infantino told Trump FIFA disciplinary body is 'independent'
Death toll from Venezuela quakes rises to 3,535 as thousands remain displaced
BRICS alternatives to dollar no longer a ‘fantasy,’ economist O’Neill says

Titles For The Latest English LCCC analysis & editorials from miscellaneous sources published on 06-07 July/2026
Iraq’s war on corruption a test that must be passed/Ghassan Charbel/Asharq Al-Awsat./July 06, 2026
'Nearly 400,000,000 Christians Worldwide Face Persecution or Violence': Extremist Persecution of Christians, March 2026/Raymond Ibrahim/Gatestone Institute/July 5, 2026
The Real Reason the Palestinians Are Fighting to Save UNRWA/Khaled Abu Toameh/Gatestone Institute/July 06/2026
1,000 days of carnage in Gaza/Chris Doyle/Arab News/July 06, 2026
Selected Face Book & X tweets on 06 July

Latest English LCCC Lebanese & Lebanese Related News & Editorials published on 06-07 July/2026
Khamenei's Funeral Turned Quranic Verses into Diplomatic Tools Serving Iran's Terrorist, Sectarian, and Expansionist Project
Elias Bejjani/July 06/2026
https://eliasbejjaninews.com/2026/07/155706/
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KuVErvArXao
Woe to you, destroyer, you who have not been destroyed! Woe to you, betrayer, you who have not been betrayed! When you stop destroying, you will be destroyed; when you stop betraying, you will be betrayed.(Isaiah 33:01)
The funeral of Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei was not merely a farewell ceremony for a man who ruled Iran for decades. Rather, it was a massive political and ideological display that once again exposed the essence of Iran's terrorist regime, which uses religion to serve a dictatorial authority and exploits religious texts to justify influence, expansion, and domination.
In reality, Khamenei was not a religious symbol or a spiritual authority. He was the head of a criminal and terrorist regime responsible for decades of internal repression against the Iranian people, foreign interference, and the export of the mullahs’ revolutionary project based on the doctrine of Wilayat al-Faqih. During his rule, Iranians were subjected to repeated waves of killings, arrests, persecution, impoverishment, displacement, humiliation, and isolation, while the country's wealth was squandered on wars, militias, terrorism, Shiite proselytization, and expansionist projects stretching from Lebanon to Syria, Iraq, Yemen, and Gaza.
Therefore, the image that Iran's rulers attempted to present as a popular referendum on Khamenei's popularity does not change the fact that millions of Iranians view his legacy very differently—as a legacy of repression, poverty, international isolation, and the squandering of the nation's resources.
Iran's Quranic Diplomacy
The most striking aspect of the funeral ceremonies was not the crowds or the foreign delegations, but what can be described as "Quranic diplomacy," whereby a specific Quranic verse was assigned to each official or political delegation attending the funeral.
The issue was not the recitation of the Quran itself, but the transformation of Quranic verses into political messages carrying meanings of endorsement, classification, criticism, or praise depending on each delegation's position toward Iran's regional project.
First: The Saudi Delegation
The following verse was recited:
"There has already been for you a sign in the two armies that met in battle: one fighting in the cause of Allah and the other disbelieving." (Quran 3:13)
From a political perspective, this verse speaks of a confrontation between believers and unbelievers. Many therefore viewed its selection during the reception of the Saudi delegation as intentional and politically insulting, suggesting an ideological and moral classification of the other side.
If this interpretation is correct, then the Iranian regime used a Quranic text to send a negative and offensive political message to a major Arab and Islamic country officially participating in the event.
Second: The Hamas Delegation
The following verse was recited:
"Among the believers are men who have been true to their covenant with Allah..." (Quran 33:23)
This verse speaks of loyalty, steadfastness, and sacrifice. Politically, it appeared to be a direct tribute to Hamas, its leaders, and its members, while reaffirming its place within the Iranian axis.
Third: Hezbollah's Delegation
The following verse was recited:
"Whoever takes Allah, His Messenger, and the believers as allies, then indeed the Party of Allah will be victorious." (Quran 5:56)
Here, the message required little interpretation. The appearance of the phrase "Party of Allah" (Hezbollah) in the verse made its selection a direct declaration of solidarity with the Lebanese group that represents one of Iran's most important political and military arms outside its borders.
It was clear that the mullahs' regime intended through this verse to reaffirm its commitment to the expansionist and sectarian project it built in Lebanon through Hezbollah, which the author views as an Iranian army made up of Lebanese mercenaries, despite the destruction, divisions, crises, displacement, poverty, and futile wars that this project has caused.
Fourth: The Official Lebanese Delegation
The following verse was recited:
"If We had prescribed for them: 'Kill yourselves' or 'Leave your homes,' they would not have done so except for a few of them." (Quran 4:66)
The verse speaks about the unwillingness of most people to endure major sacrifices or carry out difficult commands. Politically, many observers interpreted it as a message of criticism directed at the Lebanese state and as an indication that Lebanon was not moving in accordance with Tehran's wishes or providing the level of commitment expected to its regional project.
The message was viewed as arrogant, offensive, and an intrusion into Lebanese affairs, coming from a defeated, terrorist, and criminal regime that has no right to judge the patriotism of the Lebanese people or the choices of their state.
The Most Dangerous Aspect
The most dangerous aspect of the funeral was that the conduct of the mullahs' regime reflected a political and sectarian mentality immersed in illusions, delusions, and fantasies, detached from reality, while presenting itself as the guardian of truth, religion, scripture, and the classification of nations and peoples.
Instead of being a human or national occasion, the funeral became a platform for reproducing divisions and political axes, and a political festival using the Quran as a diplomatic and propaganda tool.
Turning Quranic verses into political messages does not serve religion. Rather, it places religion in the service of power and transforms sacred texts into instruments of conflict and influence.
It was neither surprising nor new that chants of "Death to America" and "Death to Israel" were repeatedly heard from participants in the funeral.
Official Lebanese Participation
In Lebanon, the decision to send an official high-level delegation to the funeral sparked criticism from many Lebanese who believe that the Iranian regime occupies Lebanon, bears responsibility for wars carried out through Hezbollah, and continues to undermine Lebanese sovereignty through its ongoing support for the group.
From this perspective, many believe that the official participation ignored the heavy price Lebanon has paid as a result of being transformed into a battleground for regional conflicts linked to Iranian policies.
Conclusion
The funeral was less a funeral ceremony than a massive political event aimed at reinforcing the image of the Supreme Leader as the symbol of a regional axis that transcends borders and at affirming the continuation of the path that has governed Iran for decades.
The clearest message emerging from the event was that the Iranian regime still views religion as a political and ideological tool used to justify influence, classify allies and opponents, and provide a religious aura to an expansionist authoritarian project that has burdened both Iran and the wider region with conflict, war, and destruction.
The question remains: When will the countries of the region free themselves from the logic of axes and foreign tutelage and build sovereign states that do not seek anyone's approval, do not submit to blackmail, and do not allow any external power, regardless of its religious or revolutionary slogans, to confiscate their national decision-making or the dignity of their peoples?
The author is a Lebanese expatriate activist.
Author's website: https://eliasbejjaninews.com
Email: phoenicia@hotmail.com

Conscience in Faith Concepts: The Divine Voice Dwelling in Man
Elias Bejjani/July 05/2025
https://eliasbejjaninews.com/2026/07/146391/
The study of conscience in the evangelical tradition is not merely an inquiry in psychology or ethics, but a spiritual journey to explore the intimate relationship between Creator and creature. Conscience, in its essence, is not simply a human feeling or a product of social upbringing, but the Divine voice dwelling in man—the presence of God guiding us to discern between good and evil. It is the inner compass placed by the Creator in every human heart to be the “judge” of thoughts and actions.
Conscience as a Divine Compass and Grace
Conscience is the “presence of God” within us. This is what distinguishes it from a mere “feeling of guilt.” Saint John Chrysostom said: “Neither fame, nor wealth, nor authority, nor bodily strength, nor a splendid table, nor elegant clothes, nor any other human distinction can bring true happiness; but all these come from a pure conscience.” This teaching affirms that true happiness springs from inward harmony with God’s will, realized only through a straight conscience. Christ likened conscience to the eye, saying:
“The lamp of the body is the eye. If therefore your eye is sound, your whole body will be full of light. But if your eye is bad, your whole body will be full of darkness.” (Matthew 6:22-23)
Here the “eye” is conscience—pure and undefiled, allowing the light of God to fill the whole of life.
Conscience as an Inner Witness and the Voice of God
God, who created man in His own image and likeness (Genesis 1:27), did not abandon him in the face of trials. He gave him conscience as a living voice, a witness warning and restraining him—a kind of inner adversary against evil intentions. Christ in the Sermon on the Mount said:
“Agree with your adversary quickly… lest your adversary deliver you to the judge.” (Matthew 5:25)
This “adversary” is the conscience, confronting our wrongful desires to bring us back to repentance before standing in divine judgment. The Apostle Paul emphasized this truth, showing that conscience serves as a law written in the heart even for the nations that did not receive the written Law: “For when Gentiles, who do not have the Law, by nature do the things in the Law, these, although not having the Law, are a law to themselves, who show the work of the Law written in their hearts, their conscience also bearing witness, and between themselves their thoughts accusing or else excusing them.” (Romans 2:14-15)
The Relationship Between Conscience and Freedom
In Christian understanding, freedom is not liberation from God but liberation from sin. Jesus said:
“You shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.” (John 8:32)
Conscience directs and guards freedom. Neglect of conscience turns freedom into demonic chaos leading to moral and social corruption. True freedom, however, is the fruit of the Holy Spirit, freeing man from slavery to passions. Paul declared:
“All things are lawful for me, but not all things are helpful. All things are lawful for me, but I will not be brought under the power of any.” (1 Corinthians 6:12)
Thus, a pure conscience empowers man to exercise freedom responsibly, without falling captive to desires, while considering the weakness of others:
“Conscience, I say, not your own, but that of the other. For why is my liberty judged by another man’s conscience?” (1 Corinthians 10:29)
Conscience and Shame as Signs of Spiritual Life
Shame is the fruit of a living conscience. When man feels guilt, it is proof his conscience is still listening to God’s voice. After the Fall, Adam and Eve felt fear and shame:
“I heard Your voice in the garden, and I was afraid because I was naked; and I hid myself.” (Genesis 3:10)
Likewise, when Jesus rebuked the scribes and Pharisees,
“Those who heard it, being convicted by their conscience, went out one by one, beginning with the oldest even to the last.” (John 8:9)
The Apostle Paul warns against a “seared conscience”: “Speaking lies in hypocrisy, having their own conscience seared with a hot iron.” (1 Timothy 4:2)
The death of conscience is the greatest spiritual danger—losing the ability to hear God’s voice, leading to corruption and destruction.
The Saving Dimension of Conscience
A pure conscience leads to the Kingdom, for it brings repentance and holiness. True peace comes only through forgiveness and the cleansing of conscience. Paul proclaims:
“How much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered Himself without spot to God, cleanse your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?” (Hebrews 9:14)
Baptism is not merely an external washing but the renewal of conscience:
“There is also an antitype which now saves us—baptism (not the removal of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience toward God), through the resurrection of Jesus Christ.” (1 Peter 3:21)
The Christian Mission of Conscience
The believer is called to maintain a pure conscience and bear witness to truth in a world that justifies sin under false slogans. Paul declared:
“This being so, I myself always strive to have a conscience without offense toward God and men.” (Acts 24:16)
And again: “For our boasting is this: the testimony of our conscience that we conducted ourselves in the world in simplicity and godly sincerity, not with fleshly wisdom but by the grace of God.” (2 Corinthians 1:12)
Conscience in the Qur’anic Understanding: The Voice of God Within Man
Surah Ash-Shams (91:7–8)
Qur’anic text: {وَنَفْسٍ وَمَا سَوَّاهَا • فَأَلْهَمَهَا فُجُورَهَا وَتَقْوَاهَا}/Interpretive translation in Arabic: By the soul and He who proportioned it, and inspired it with its wickedness and its righteousness.
Surah Al-Qiyamah (75:2)
Qur’anic text: {وَلَا أُقْسِمُ بِالنَّفْسِ اللَّوَّامَةِ}/Interpretive translation in Arabic: And I swear by the self-reproaching soul — the one that reproaches its owner and blames him for his deeds.
Surah Al-Hashr (59:18)
Qur’anic text: {يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا اتَّقُوا اللَّهَ وَلْتَنْظُرْ نَفْسٌ مَا قَدَّمَتْ لِغَدٍ}/Interpretive translation in Arabic: O you who believe, fear Allah, and let every soul look to what it has sent forth for tomorrow (the Day of Judgment).
Surah Al-Infitar (82:10–12)
Qur’anic text: {وَإِنَّ عَلَيْكُمْ لَحَافِظِينَ • كِرَامًا كَاتِبِينَ • يَعْلَمُونَ مَا تَفْعَلُونَ}/Interpretive translation in Arabic: Indeed, over you are appointed guardians, noble recorders, who know whatever you do.
Surah Qaf (50:16)
Qur’anic text: {وَلَقَدْ خَلَقْنَا الْإِنسَانَ وَنَعْلَمُ مَا تُوَسْوِسُ بِهِ نَفْسُهُ}/Interpretive translation in Arabic: We have certainly created man, and We know what his soul whispers within him.
Surah Al-Isra (17:14)
Qur’anic text: {اقْرَأْ كِتَابَكَ كَفَى بِنَفْسِكَ الْيَوْمَ عَلَيْكَ حَسِيبًا}/Interpretive translation in Arabic: Read your book; sufficient are you today against yourself as reckoner.
Surah Aal ‘Imran (3:30)
Qur’anic text: {يَوْمَ تَجِدُ كُلُّ نَفْسٍ مَا عَمِلَتْ مِنْ خَيْرٍ مُحْضَرًا وَمَا عَمِلَتْ مِنْ سُوءٍ}/Interpretive translation in Arabic: On that Day, every soul will find present whatever good it has done, and whatever evil it has done.
Surah Az-Zalzalah (99:7–8)
Qur’anic text: {فَمَنْ يَعْمَلْ مِثْقَالَ ذَرَّةٍ خَيْرًا يَرَهُ • وَمَنْ يَعْمَلْ مِثْقَالَ ذَرَّةٍ شَرًّا يَرَهُ}/Interpretive translation in Arabic: So whoever does an atom’s weight of good will see it, and whoever does an atom’s weight of evil will see it.
Surah At-Takwir (81:14) Qur’anic text: {عَلِمَتْ نَفْسٌ مَا أَحْضَرَتْ} Interpretive translation in Arabic: Then every soul will know what it has brought forth.
Conclusion
In both the Bible and the Qur’an, conscience is understood as the inner voice of God.
In Scripture: a witness of truth, guiding freedom, convicting of sin, and leading to holiness.
In the Qur’an: the self-reproaching soul, the divine inspiration within man, God’s knowledge of hidden thoughts, and the call to a pure heart.
Conscience, therefore, is the sacred meeting point between Creator and creature. Whoever keeps his conscience pure lives in God’s light and tastes already the pledge of the Kingdom. Whoever silences his conscience becomes enslaved to sin and strays from God.
Let us pray to preserve this divine voice within us—alive, active, and obeyed—so that our lives may glorify God and lead us into His eternal presence.
The author, Elias Bejjani, is a Lebanese expatriate activist
Author’s Email: Phoenicia@hotmail.com
Author’s Website: https://eliasbejjaninews.com
**Elias Bejjani
Canadian-Lebanese Human Rights activist, journalist and political commentator
Email phoenicia@hotmail.com & media.lccc@gmail.com

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

Video link and interview transcript from Spot Shot with director and writer Youssef Y. El-Khoury
The interview covered the situation in South Lebanon, clarifying Netanyahu’s positions, the crisis and fate of the South and its people, peace with Israel, a historical reading of Lebanese-Israeli agreements and borders, the rejection of the Syrian role and guardianship, and the failure of the political and religious class.
July 06/2026
Main Headlines of the Interview:
https://eliasbejjaninews.com/2026/07/155741/
The interview took place within a sharp political and historical framework, where director Joseph El-Khoury focused on several fundamental points and topics:
Debunking Netanyahu’s Statements Regarding the South
El-Khoury denied that the Israeli Prime Minister had spoken about “annexing” Christian villages. He clarified that the accurate translation of his remarks refers to requests by certain villages (Christian, Druze, and Sunni) for “protection” from Israel due to the absence of the Lebanese state, the withdrawal of the army, and their fear of Hezbollah's practices. He attacked leftist media outlets and “resistance” channels, accusing them of deliberately mistranslating the statements for the purposes of branding others as traitors and spreading propaganda.
Explicit Stance on Peace with Israel
El-Khoury clearly advocated for the option of peace, considering that Lebanon has been historically destroyed by being turned into a “transit point” for the wars of others (Arabs, Palestinian factions, and the Left). He heavily criticized political forces and entities that secretly hope for Israel to rid them of Hezbollah, while publicly attacking peace in the media.
Historical Reading of Lebanese-Israeli Agreements and Borders
El-Khoury reviewed the 1949 Armistice Agreement, Resolution 425, the May 17 Agreement, and Resolution 1701 to argue his point that Israel has no geographic expansionist ambitions in Lebanon and has long adhered to agreements and withdrawn, whereas the Lebanese side (via armed factions) is the one that violates them. He also touched upon the “Karish” field issue, claiming it was within the fishing boundaries historically permitted to Lebanon.
The Crisis of Border Villages Trapped in the “Yellow Line”
He demanded that the Lebanese state and the Lebanese Army fulfill their responsibilities in the ongoing negotiations to secure the fate of these besieged villages, to prevent the repetition of previous historical scenarios where residents were left to their fate and subsequently accused of collaboration.
Criticism of the Political and Religious Class
He directed harsh criticism at several Lebanese political and religious leaders (such as Walid Jumblatt, the Aounist movement, and Father Michel Rouhana), arguing that a legacy of “leftist or Baathist” thought, or intimidation by Hezbollah’s weapons, prevents Christian leaders from moving forward with the option of peace and true sovereignty.
Rejection of the Syrian Role and Guardianship
He strongly criticized attempts to restore relations with the Syrian regime via “joint coordination committees,” describing them as a front for a new guardianship, and emphasized the need for full sovereignty or balancing relations by achieving peace on the southern border.

Aoun says Israeli occupation undermines legitimacy of Lebanese state
Agence France Presse/July 06/2026
President Joseph Aoun said Monday that Israel's occupation of the south was preventing the Lebanese army's deployment to the area, as the two sides prepare to implement a deal involving the deployment and gradual Israeli withdrawal. According to a statement from his office, Aoun emphasized the need to pressure Israel to withdraw its forces "because the persistence of the occupation undermines the legitimacy of the (Lebanese) state and prevents the army from deploying and the laying of the foundations for achieving a just and lasting peace".

President Aoun thanks UAE for lifting travel restrictions to Lebanon
LBCI/July 06/2026
President Joseph Aoun met with United Arab Emirates Ambassador to Lebanon Fahad Salem Saeed Al Kaabi to discuss the latest developments in Lebanon and the region, as well as bilateral relations between the two countries. During the meeting, Aoun asked the ambassador to convey his greetings to UAE President Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan and expressed his appreciation for the decision to allow Emirati citizens to travel once again to what he described as their "second home," Lebanon. The president thanked Sheikh Mohammed for lifting the travel restrictions, describing the move as an important step in strengthening Lebanese-Emirati ties and supporting Lebanon.

Israeli strike on south kills 4, including 3 women
Naharnet/July 06/2026
An Israeli strike on a car in the country's south on Monday killed four people, including three women, despite a fragile ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah. Lebanon's official National News Agency (NNA) said a school principal, her mother, a foreign female domestic worker and a male Syrian worker were killed when "an Israeli drone targeted the car" they were travelling in as they returned from inspecting their family home in Nabatieh al-Fawqa. Israeli forces have continued to clash with Hezbollah fighters in south Lebanon despite a U.S.-brokered agreement between Israel and Lebanon intended to pave the way toward a lasting end to hostilities.Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu reiterated Sunday hat Israel's military would maintain its presence in southern Lebanon "as long as necessary". Israeli forces detonated houses overnight into Monday in the southern border towns of Aitaroun, Kounine and Houla.Later in the day, drone strikes targeted the southern towns of Kfartebnit and Baraashit. Intermittent artillery shelling and machine gun fire also hit Baraashit. Israeli forces meanwhile advanced toward the cemetery of the southern town of Haddatha and fired gunshots at the site.

Claims of annexation: Lebanese border communities unite to reject Netanyahu's allegations
LBCI/July 06/2026
Residents of Lebanon's Christian border villages have firmly rejected claims by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu that some of their communities had sought to join Israel, issuing a joint statement dismissing the allegations as fabricated and entirely without basis. The statement, released by several border villages, reaffirmed the residents' national identity and their commitment to Lebanon as their final homeland, stressing that they remain firmly attached to their country despite the ongoing conflict. Netanyahu's remarks have raised questions in Lebanon over whether they were intended to deepen internal divisions or lay the groundwork for broader political or territorial objectives. While the Israeli prime minister has not elaborated on the claims, residents interviewed by LBCI categorically denied them.

Netanyahu claims some Lebanese Christian villages 'asked to be annexed' by Israel
Agence France Presse/July 06/2026
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Sunday that some Christian villages in southern Lebanon had asked to be annexed by Israel, in order to be protected from Hezbollah militants. Lebanon was drawn into the wider Middle East war on March 2 when Hezbollah fired rockets at Israel in retaliation for the killing of Iran's supreme leader in U.S.-Israeli strikes and 15 months of Israeli violations of a ceasefire reached in November 2024. Israel responded with massive airstrikes and a ground invasion of southern Lebanon, where its troops now occupy territory near the border. "Christian villages in Lebanon, some of them have actually asked to be annexed to Israel, because we protect them against the Hezbollah, Hezbollah fanatics who want to kill them, and we do the same things with Christians everywhere," Netanyahu told Fox News show "The Sunday Briefing". Netanyahu did not name the Christian villages he said had made such a request. The mayor of the Christian village of Rmeish, Hanna al-Amil, was quoted by Lebanese public broadcaster NNA as denying Netanyahu's claim. Amil said that even contemplating the idea was "absolutely out of the question" and said that "15 Christian towns had issued a statement two days ago denying these allegations". The villages on Friday reaffirmed their determination to stay on their land, stressing their "loyalty to their national identity" and their "attachment to their Lebanese flag".Since the war began, some Christian villages in southern Lebanon have endured Israeli shelling, airstrikes, displacement and infrastructure damage. Most have remained inhabited despite Israeli evacuation orders, with residents choosing to stay to protect their homes, churches and farmland, though some villages were partially or fully evacuated. During the war, the Israeli military has warned several Christian-majority villages -- through phone calls to mayors and local officials -- not to allow "strangers" in, referring to Hezbollah fighters. In a separate speech at a state ceremony on Sunday, Netanyahu reiterated that Israel's military would maintain its presence in southern Lebanon "as long as necessary in order to protect the residents of the north and all the citizens of Israel".

In south Lebanon, Israel army chief vows to act 'decisively' against Hezbollah
Agence France Presse/July 06/2026
Israel's military chief, Lieutenant General Eyal Zamir, visited troops stationed near Beaufort Castle in southern Lebanon on Sunday, vowing that the army would "continue to operate decisively to remove threats from Lebanese territory".Israeli forces have continued to clash with Hezbollah fighters despite a U.S.-brokered agreement between Israel and Lebanon intended to pave the way toward a lasting end to hostilities. During an interview with Fox News, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu addressed reported disagreements with U.S President Donald Trump over the deal that halted the war with Iran. "Let me say that we have an excellent relationship, which is defined, as I said, between allies," Netanyahu said. "Ninety-nine percent of the time, we see eye-to-eye, but as any, in any family, in any close friendship, there are sometimes differences of opinion, and we discuss them openly," he added. "I can tell you, in a free spirit, and usually we resolve them too."Netanyahu's remarks came a day after Trump told the news outlet Axios that Netanyahu "knows who the boss is".In recent weeks, Trump has repeatedly criticized the Israeli premier amid negotiations over the Iran deal, accusing him of ingratitude and even calling him "crazy" over Israel's escalation in Lebanon. In his interview with Axios, Trump said Netanyahu was expected to visit Washington in the coming days. In a separate speech at a state ceremony on Sunday, Netanyahu reiterated that Israel's military would maintain its presence in southern Lebanon "as long as necessary in order to protect the residents of the north and all the citizens of Israel".

Israel conditions withdrawal from pilot zones on Lebanese Army readiness
LBCI/July 06/2026
Israel has tied its withdrawal from two proposed pilot zones in South Lebanon to two key conditions, according to Israeli military officials. The first requirement is a formal declaration by the Lebanese Army confirming that it is fully prepared to assume control of the two areas and carry out the responsibilities assigned to it under the Lebanon-Israel framework agreement. The second condition is approval from the U.S. Central Command confirming that Lebanon and its armed forces are operationally and security-wise ready to take over the areas following an Israeli withdrawal. The conditions were outlined by an Israeli military official who participated in a consultative security cabinet meeting on Lebanon chaired Sunday by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. During the meeting, Netanyahu reportedly reiterated his intention to keep Israeli forces in Lebanon for an extended period. At the same time, Israel continues to expand what Lebanese officials describe as ceasefire violations in South Lebanon while increasing pressure on the U.S. team overseeing the implementation of the framework agreement. According to Israeli accounts, Tel Aviv is also seeking to ensure the implementation of a security annex attached to the agreement, which includes provisions requiring Lebanon to assist in locating the remains of missing Israeli personnel, particularly Israeli Air Force navigator Ron Arad. The Israeli demands come before any practical implementation of the Lebanese-Israeli framework, as no timetable has yet been established for the agreement's execution, nor has the scope of the proposed Israeli withdrawal been defined. Meanwhile, Israeli media reports have claimed that Hezbollah is preparing for the possibility of renewed fighting in the near future and is working to restore and strengthen its military capabilities in anticipation of a potential escalation.

Berri hails stances of Christian border towns after Netanyahu claim
Naharnet/July 06/2026
Speaker Nabih Berri on Monday praised the statements issued by the heads of municipal councils and religious leaders in southern border villages and towns, particularly the Christian ones in the districts of Marjeyoun and Bint Jbeil. He specifically mentioned the statement issued by the municipality of Rmeish, which "rejected, denied, and refuted the false claims made by the Israeli Prime Minister regarding the desire of the residents of these villages to be annexed to the occupying Israeli entity." Berri emphasized that "the positions of the residents and leaders of these villages, their steadfastness, and their adherence to their land and identity reflect the authenticity of their genuine national belonging, which they will not compromise under any circumstances."He warned against falling for “the lies and falsehoods promoted by Israeli political circles,” which he said are driven by “seditious agendas aimed at sowing discord among the residents of the border regions.”He stressed that their shared concern, their wounds, their hopes, and their pain have always been, and will remain, one: ending the war, liberating their land, returning to it, and rebuilding what Israeli aggression has destroyed and continues to destroy daily.”
On another note, Berri stressed "the need for the Lebanese state and the Arab and international communities to take action to stop the systematic destruction and demolition of villages that is proceeding at full speed in the city of Bint Jbeil and the villages of its district, and in the districts of Marjeyoun, Nabatieh and Tyre, which, if it indicates anything, indicates the true intentions of the Israeli enemy to make large areas of southern Lebanon uninhabitable, and this is something that can no longer be met with silence as is happening today."

Senior source to LBCI: US General expected in Beirut to launch pilot zones under Lebanon-Israel framework
LBCI/July 06/2026
A senior source told LBCI that U.S. General Joseph Clair Field is expected to arrive in Beirut this week to reside in the Lebanese capital and begin the first phase of implementing the pilot zones outlined in the Lebanon-Israel framework agreement. The source said Israel had agreed to move forward with the implementation under U.S. pressure but was attempting to undermine the process by spreading claims that Christian border villages wanted to join Israel and by carrying out attacks against Lebanese civilians, including the strike in Nabatieh al-Faouqa on Monday. The source added that Lebanese officials are awaiting Hezbollah's position on the implementation of the pilot zones, expressing hope that the group will not obstruct the process or provide Israel with what it described as a pretext to resume full-scale war. According to the source, the framework agreement signed between Lebanon and Israel has helped maintain relative calm in southern Lebanon and allowed residents to return to some areas. The source also said discussions about forming a four-party military coordination cell following negotiations in Islamabad had made no progress, arguing that Iran appeared unwilling to support such a mechanism. If such a coordination body is eventually established, the source said Lebanon wants to be represented directly at the negotiating table alongside U.S. Vice President JD Vance and Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, rather than communicating through Iranian official Mohammad Reza Sheibani in Beirut.

Israel conditions withdrawal from pilot zones on Lebanese Army readiness
LBCI/July 06/2026
Israel has tied its withdrawal from two proposed pilot zones in South Lebanon to two key conditions, according to Israeli military officials. The first requirement is a formal declaration by the Lebanese Army confirming that it is fully prepared to assume control of the two areas and carry out the responsibilities assigned to it under the Lebanon-Israel framework agreement. The second condition is approval from the U.S. Central Command confirming that Lebanon and its armed forces are operationally and security-wise ready to take over the areas following an Israeli withdrawal. The conditions were outlined by an Israeli military official who participated in a consultative security cabinet meeting on Lebanon chaired Sunday by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. During the meeting, Netanyahu reportedly reiterated his intention to keep Israeli forces in Lebanon for an extended period. At the same time, Israel continues to expand what Lebanese officials describe as ceasefire violations in South Lebanon while increasing pressure on the U.S. team overseeing the implementation of the framework agreement. According to Israeli accounts, Tel Aviv is also seeking to ensure the implementation of a security annex attached to the agreement, which includes provisions requiring Lebanon to assist in locating the remains of missing Israeli personnel, particularly Israeli Air Force navigator Ron Arad. The Israeli demands come before any practical implementation of the Lebanese-Israeli framework, as no timetable has yet been established for the agreement's execution, nor has the scope of the proposed Israeli withdrawal been defined. Meanwhile, Israeli media reports have claimed that Hezbollah is preparing for the possibility of renewed fighting in the near future and is working to restore and strengthen its military capabilities in anticipation of a potential escalation.

Geagea to Jumblat: History does not move backward
Naharnet/July 06/2026
Lebanese Forces leader Samir Geagea on Monday addressed Druze chieftain Walid Jumblat by saying that “history does not move backward,” in an ongoing spat between the two leaders over the 1949 Armistice Agreement with Israel. “There is no doubt that the Armistice Agreement was indeed the basis between the State of Lebanon and Israel. But, unfortunately, we allowed it to collapse, and we trampled it underfoot, from 1964 until today, making it seem as if it no longer exists,” Geagea wrote on X. He added: “History does not move backward, and time waits for no one. What is important today is that we rectify our situation, instead of lamenting the past.”

Fadlallah lauds Arab League chief, says Christian border towns committed to Lebanon
Naharnet/July 06/2026
MP Hassan Fadlallah of Hezbollah on Monday lauded the Secretary-General of the Arab League, Nabil Fahmy, for his stance against Israel’s demolition of a residential neighborhood in the southern town of Bint Jbeil. “Meanwhile, the Lebanese authorities maintain a suspicious silence, after having granted the occupation legitimacy for its continued presence and aggressive practices, and preventing its legal prosecution through their ill-fated agreement," Fadlallah said. Moreover, the lawmaker claimed that Lebanese authorities “do not dare respond to what the enemy’s premier Benjamin Netanyahu is confirming daily about what these authorities have endorsed, to the extent that he has declared that the Christian border villages are asking that they be annexed to the occupying entity.” “This is a suspicious announcement that exposes his true intentions for our dear country,” Fadlallah warned. “These villages, like the Muslim villages, are committed to their belonging to the ultimate homeland for all its citizens and are an integral part of the national and social fabric of the South. As for the occupation and its collaborators, they will leave, and they will have no role in the future of our country," Fadlallah stressed.

Washington Dinner Brings Together Lebanese and Israeli Figures Amid Emerging Peace Efforts
Ralph Atrach & Amal Chmouny//This is Beirut/July 06/2026
Against the backdrop of ongoing U.S.-mediated talks between Lebanon and Israel, a private dinner gathering Lebanese, Israeli and American figures was held this week in Washington under the auspices of the Lebanon-Israel Peace Alliance (LIPA), a newly established American advocacy organization promoting a future peace agreement between the two countries. The event, attended by approximately 35 guests, brought together Lebanese Americans, Israeli Americans, Jewish Americans, former U.S. officials, current government figures and other supporters of regional peace. According to Hagar Chemali, co-founder of LIPA and a former U.S. Treasury official, the gathering was designed not as a fundraising event but as an opportunity to build support for a vision that many participants believe has become increasingly realistic following recent geopolitical developments. “It was an opportunity to highlight the work of LIPA and bring together people who share the belief that peace between Lebanon and Israel is possible,” Chemali said. “What struck everyone was how inspirational and moving the evening was.”
A Sign of Changing Times
Chemali described the Washington dinner as an example of the unique role civil society organizations can play alongside official diplomatic channels. “Governments have limitations,” she said. “Organizations like ours can bring people together informally, encourage dialogue, conduct research, and help create the conditions necessary for sustainable peace.”According to Chemali, many attendees were not actively involved in peace initiatives before receiving invitations to the event. Nevertheless, the evening generated enthusiasm among participants, many of whom expressed interest in contributing expertise, networks, resources or ideas to future efforts.“The most common reaction was a sense of optimism,” she noted. “People felt there was finally a reason to hope.”The dinner took place as diplomatic contacts between Lebanon and Israel continue under U.S. sponsorship, a process that many observers would have considered politically impossible only a few years ago. While participants acknowledged that any peace process will inevitably face setbacks and resistance, organizers viewed the gathering as evidence that a constituency for dialogue and coexistence is beginning to emerge.For those present, the significance of the evening extended beyond diplomacy.“It wasn't about negotiations,” Chemali said. “It was about bringing together people who believe a different future is possible and giving them a space to imagine what that future could look like.”
An Organization Born Alongside the Talks
LIPA, the Lebanon-Israel Peace Alliance, is a registered 501(c)(4) advocacy and lobbying organization based in the United States. Founded earlier this year, the organization was created to advocate for policies that could advance a peace agreement between Lebanon and Israel and ultimately support Lebanon’s inclusion in the Abraham Accords.Chemali explained that the organization emerged from discussions among activists and policy professionals who had been working on peace initiatives for months before formally launching the group. The outbreak of regional hostilities and subsequent diplomatic developments accelerated the process. “We felt there was a need for an organization capable of engaging directly with policymakers and advocating for steps that could move the region closer to peace,” she said. The organization emphasizes that it is fully American, and maintains a deliberately diverse board that includes Lebanese Americans from various backgrounds, Jewish Americans, and former U.S. government officials.
LIPA operates along three main lines of effort.
The first is direct engagement with the U.S. government, advocating policies that the organization believes could advance Lebanese-Israeli peace. The second is cooperation with like-minded organizations on projects aimed at bridging divides between Lebanese and Israelis and fostering people-to-people engagement. The third is public outreach, particularly highlighting the economic and strategic benefits that peace could bring to Lebanon. Chemali argues that a comprehensive peace agreement would help attract foreign investment, encourage the return of expatriate capital, create jobs and reduce the climate of uncertainty that has weighed on Lebanon for decades. “Lebanon has extraordinary human potential,” she said. “The country’s greatest obstacle has been the shadow of conflict. Peace would unlock opportunities that generations of Lebanese have been waiting for.” While official negotiations remain ongoing and sensitive, supporters of initiatives like LIPA see growing space for parallel civil society engagement aimed at normalizing dialogue and building long-term constituencies for peace.

Hezbollah's Lebanese Allies Are Ready to Dump It
Hussain Abdul-Hussain/This is Beirut/July 06/2026
Speaker Nabih Berri and Druze chief Walid Jumblatt have so far sided with Hezbollah by denouncing the June 26 Trilateral Framework between Lebanon, Israel, and the U.S. Yet despite their rhetoric, neither has moved to unseat Lebanon's government, citing concerns over sectarian tensions. The gap between their words and actions suggests both are hedging their bets, uncertain whether Hezbollah will survive its confrontation with Israel.
Berri and Jumblatt are among Lebanon's most enduring political survivors, with nearly a century of public life between them. Their political choices have always tracked the prevailing balances of power in Lebanon. They backed Yasser Arafat’s Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) when it dominated parts of Lebanon, only to abandon him after Israel’s 1982 invasion. Afterward, the two aligned with Hafez al-Assad and Bashar al-Assad's regime in Damascus until the 2005 Cedar Revolution forced Syria out of Lebanon. They then seamlessly shifted their allegiance to Hezbollah.
Berri and Jumblatt’s political antennas must now be tuned to the existential crisis faced by Hezbollah. The militia is exhausted and outmatched by a determined Israel. Under Naim Qassem’s lackluster leadership, it no longer projects the strength that once defined its dominance in Lebanon. Jumblatt himself has noted that Iran dispatched senior Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) operatives to prop up Hezbollah.
The balance of power has shifted decisively against the group, opening a rare opportunity for the Lebanese state. President Joseph Aoun and Prime Minister Nawaf Salam have recognized these vulnerabilities and are moving assertively to reassert state authority over security and decision-making. Berri and Jumblatt recognize the same shift but remain cautious. They prefer to let events unfold rather than risk a premature rupture that could backfire.
Hezbollah has never been in a weaker position. Israeli operations have devastated southern Lebanon, flattening more than sixty villages. Roughly nine percent of Lebanese territory—concentrated in Shia areas—remains under Israeli control. Hezbollah’s arsenal was designed to prevent such an outcome or impose unacceptable costs on any occupier. Instead, Iran’s decision to extend the ceasefire to Lebanon without demanding a full Israeli withdrawal has drained those weapons of strategic value and exposed their limits.
In this war, Lebanon’s Shia have endured the longest period of mass displacement in their modern history. Families now live in tents with no clear timeline for return. The only realistic path home runs through Hezbollah surrendering its arsenal.
For years, Hezbollah’s weapons gave the Shia a sense of empowerment and political leverage against other Lebanese communities. Once politically unpopular, disarmament has gained traction as prolonged conflict exposed the failure of these weapons. The political costs of maintaining Hezbollah’s weapons have become unsustainable. Even Berri and Jumblatt now appear to be waiting for the party’s collapse, albeit quietly. Even Berri and Jumblatt now appear to be waiting for the party’s collapse, albeit quietly.
Hezbollah offers no fresh strategy, instead recycling old tactics. In the aftermath of the 2006 war, late Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah admitted the group had nearly exhausted its ammunition in the final days, yet still bluffed Israel into believing it could continue fighting. Today, the militia relies on similar deception, reinforced by relentless propaganda and disinformation campaigns. It also places its hopes in Iran outmaneuvering the U.S.
Iran has turned the threat to close the Strait of Hormuz into leverage, securing relief from U.S. naval pressure in the Gulf and a ceasefire that extended to Lebanon. The maneuver bought time but produced no decisive shift in Lebanon’s balance of power, as Tehran prioritized its own direct interests. Hezbollah now awaits a broader U.S.-Iran settlement that could include concessions restoring its position in Lebanon. Berri and Jumblatt’s reluctance to fully embrace the Lebanese-Israeli agreement reflects fears that Washington could still prioritize a deal with Tehran over Lebanese sovereignty.
With Hezbollah in terminal decline, the last thing Washington should do is extend the militia a lifeline in a bargain with Tehran. Prioritizing Gulf security concerns over Lebanon’s prosperity would be a major strategic miscalculation. Any such move would prolong Lebanon’s political paralysis and risk renewed cycles of conflict across the region.

The Story of the Light at the Tomb of Saint Charbel!
George Hayek/Facebook/July 5, 2026 (Google translation from Arabic)
https://eliasbejjaninews.com/2026/07/155725/
The story of any ordinary monk might end, but the true story of Charbel began immediately after his death on Mount Annaya. From the very first night, a brilliant light emanating from the hermit's tomb dazzled the eyes of the residents in the houses opposite the monastery. The abbot, Father Antonios Al-Mishmishani, initially refused to believe it, but it attracted many, both Christians and Shiite Muslims, who flocked from the surrounding villages.
"I saw it three times," said Youssef Bou Sleiman.
"Whenever we stay up late at our neighbors' house opposite the tomb, we see this wondrous sight," confirmed Georges Emmanuel Sassin.
"And I heard from the monastery's partners and the people of the farms opposite the monastery that a fireball would appear at night coming out of the tomb. As for me, I didn't see anything myself," explained Brother Boutros Mishmish. In the monastery's calendar, the abbot wrote: "On the twenty-fourth day of December, 1898, Father Charbel Bkaakafra, the hermit, passed away from a stroke. He was given the rites for the dead and buried in the monastery cemetery at the age of 68, during the time of Father Antonios Mishmishani. His conduct after his death speaks volumes about his virtuous life, especially his obedience to his vows, to the point that we can say his obedience was angelic, not human."
A light emanating from Father Charbel's grave once caught the attention of Sheikh Mahmoud Hamadeh and some of his men, who were pursuing fugitives fleeing the authorities. One rainy night, unable to return to Hjoula, they changed course towards the monastery. Looking out from afar, they glimpsed a light that appeared faint at first, then shone brightly like a star near the monastery gate, east of the church.
Sheikh Hamadeh thought the rabble were hiding in that area, so he hurried there to arrest them. However, as soon as he reached the monastery, the light disappeared. They quickly knocked on the monastery door. Brother Boutros Mefouq answered them:
"The gate is locked, it's late, and the monks are asleep. It's not a time for hospitality."
Sheikh Hamadeh replied:
"Open for us, and when you recognize us, don't argue with us."
As soon as he opened the door, he saw five men accompanying Sheikh Hamadeh, who immediately asked him:
"Why didn't you open for us right away?"
The brother, still very sleepy, replied:
"Because we were asleep."
"How could you be asleep? My men and I saw the light from the eastern side, near the gate, appearing and disappearing several times."
The other monks awoke and told him: "At the place where you saw the light, there is a tomb where a hermit, Father Charbel, is buried. The fellow monks and others have seen a light above the tomb on some nights." Sheikh Mahmoud replied, “By God! At the first opportunity, I will inform the Patriarch of this matter and publish it in the newspapers. I have witnessed the deaths of many bishops and patriarchs, and I have passed by the graves of many, yet I have never seen anything like this sight that has dazzled our eyes.”
Indeed, Sheikh Mahmoud Hamadeh wrote a report of what he had seen and sent it to His Beatitude Patriarch Elias Hoyek. It was confirmed that the light did not emanate from a lamp or a fire, but rather from the grave of Father Charbel. For anyone who knows through personal experience that Jesus is light in a higher and deeper sense than the light that dazzles the eyes and that which enlightens the soul, it will not be surprising that brilliant lights should emanate from the grave of Father Charbel Makhlouf, attracting the attention of hundreds at the beginning of the twentieth century before captivating millions at the end of the century.

Europe’s Offer to Help Strengthen Lebanon’s Sovereignty: Ensuring U.S. Coordination
Souhire Medini/The Washington Institute/July 06/2026
https://www.washingtoninstitute.org/policy-analysis/europes-offer-help-strengthen-lebanons-sovereignty-ensuring-us-coordination
As UN peacekeepers prepare to depart, an EU mission could help boost Washington’s efforts in Lebanon—provided Europeans can closely coordinate their proposals with the future UN presence and the U.S. focus on sovereignty and disarmament.
The newly signed framework agreement between Israel and Lebanon lays down ambitious milestones on the road toward an eventual peace treaty. With the UN Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) preparing to withdraw and the United States unlikely to send its own troops there, defining the mechanisms to implement the framework’s intermediate steps will be a challenge. In particular, officials need to iron out the details regarding the “performance-based program to enable the capacity of the LAF to assert full military and security control within Lebanon,” including agreed steps toward “verified disarmament of all non-state armed groups.”
The question of European involvement in these processes is not currently central to U.S. strategy. Yet the framework agreement acknowledges that Lebanon will need the support of “international partners” to establish full sovereignty, while a recent G7 statement called for the protection of “Lebanon’s territorial integrity and sovereignty with the appropriate international security guarantees,” indicating a potential multinational effort. Indeed, discussions over a new EU mission in Lebanon are under way, and various European governments are poised to help share the burden and synergize with Washington’s efforts. Yet close and candid transatlantic coordination will be necessary to reinforce the shared U.S. and European goals of strengthening Beirut’s sovereignty and its ability to disarm Hezbollah.
A Realistic UN Presence Post-UNIFIL?
In a recent letter to the UN Security Council, Secretary-General Antonio Guterres defined five “core functions” for the UN presence in Lebanon after the five-decade UNIFIL mission was formally shuttered last year. In August, Security Council Resolution 2790 tasked him to come up with options to implement Resolution 1701 after UNIFIL’s withdrawal. Adopted in 2006, Resolution 1701 ended the previous Israel-Hezbollah war and mandated international monitoring of the ceasefire around the UN-demarcated Blue Line, along with the disarmament of all militias, the withdrawal of Israeli forces, and redeployment of the Lebanese Armed Forces (LAF) south of the Litani River.
The secretary-general’s letter specifically outlined three mission options that vary in scope and personnel. The most ambitious would include 350 unarmed observers along with four armed infantry battalions (roughly 750 troops each) for force protection and a 700-person reserve, for a total of around 4,050 personnel. The most modest option would include 215 unarmed observers, two light infantry battalions (roughly 450 troops each), and a quick reaction force of 350 troops, for a total of 1,465. By comparison, 7,478 UN peacekeepers are currently stationed in Lebanon as of May 1.
According to discussions with UN officials, Lebanese authorities urged Guterres to maintain UN functions related to Israeli-Lebanese military liaison and support to the LAF. Likewise, Prime Minister Nawaf Salam has publicly called for maintaining as broad a UN presence as possible. To explain the disparity between the small observer contingents and large armed contingents in the secretary-general’s proposals, UN officials point to the volatile security situation on the ground, which has resulted in the deaths of seven peacekeepers since March. Moreover, every Security Council resolution adopted for the purpose of renewing Resolution 1701 has tasked the UN with monitoring the Blue Line, which entails UN observation posts on the ground.
Yet these justifications may not be sufficient for Washington, which expects any UN successor mission to be much more limited in scope and size. Last year, the U.S. representative to the UN stated that Washington wants Lebanon to “assume greater responsibility,” implying that it views any large UNIFIL presence as disempowering the LAF. This stance reflects longstanding U.S. criticisms of UNIFIL and suggests that any future UN contingent focused on supporting the LAF will face skepticism or outright opposition from Washington. The Trump administration aims to help the LAF build its capacity as the sole legitimate defender of Lebanon’s sovereignty, but U.S. officials do not trust the UN to help in that mission. This is where a European mission could play a useful role.
An EU Mission to Complement, Not Replace, Existing Efforts
On June 15, EU High Representative Kaja Kallas confirmed that officials are “advancing work on a new EU mission in Lebanon.” A few days later, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni announced that Rome and Paris had agreed to launch a multinational “coalition” to support Lebanon post-UNIFIL. It remains unclear whether the two initiatives are the same or distinct.
Whatever the case, any European mission will aim to complement U.S. efforts, not compete with them. The EU has long been clear about Hezbollah’s primary responsibility for the war in Lebanon and the necessity of disarmament; it has also listed the group’s military wing as a terrorist entity. Furthermore, Europeans support the direct U.S.-led negotiations between Israel and Lebanon and their potential to deliver lasting security for both countries. They also share President Trump’s expressed skepticism regarding Israel’s military tactics in Lebanon, though they express it differently and with reference to international humanitarian law.
Against this backdrop, a European mission—distinct from but complementary to the UN presence—could take the shape of a “Common Security and Defence Policy (CSDP)” mission. Such missions can be civilian and/or military. For instance, the EU Advisory Mission in Iraq advises authorities in Baghdad on security sector reform, while the EU Naval Force Mediterranean (EUNAVFOR MED) launched Operation IRINI in Libya to help implement the UN arms embargo via satellite, aerial, and maritime assets.
To be clear, no European presence will have a mandate to engage Hezbollah militarily. Rather, its objective would be to help build the LAF’s capabilities and enable a strengthened Lebanese state to regain control of its territory down the road.
Recommendations
Because a meaningful European contribution will require buy-in from all stakeholders, they should clarify and align their efforts as follows:
Europe. In early June, the EU approved an LAF assistance package of 100 million euros to strengthen state authority and support the disarmament of Hezbollah. This positive step reinforces the unilateral support that several European countries already provide to the LAF, including France, the Netherlands, and others. To continue playing a useful role, Europeans must articulate a clear and coherent strategy behind their proposed mission long before UNIFIL’s withdrawal formally begins next January. Will it be a purely European mission, an international coalition, or both? And what exactly will its added value be? In answering these questions, officials must avoid undermining the EU’s credibility by making grand announcements while allocating insufficient resources. Their proposals should instead align mission capabilities with the targeted objectives described above: supporting the LAF and boosting its ability to disarm Hezbollah.
For example, the EU could focus on training Lebanese troops involved in border control, particularly with regard to cutting off Hezbollah’s supply line from Syria. Smuggling remains widespread along that frontier despite improved cooperation between Beirut and Damascus. In parallel, the EU could invest in helping the LAF upgrade its navy in order to better monitor Lebanon’s territorial waters and curb weapons trafficking. Beirut currently relies on the UNIFIL’s Maritime Task Force for such missions, but this force may be phased out progressively.
United States. To facilitate coordination of international efforts, Washington would need to establish greater coherence between the various Lebanon-related initiatives it has launched of late. For instance, as part of the Iran negotiations, it proposed a “joint U.S.-Lebanese-Iranian cell to solidify Lebanon’s ceasefire,” yet this idea seems entirely at odds with the proposals in the trilateral U.S.-Lebanon-Israel framework. Clarifying this discrepancy will be essential.
Similarly, the best U.S. approach would be to coordinate with existing European initiatives rather than simply duplicating them. For instance, the newly announced trilateral Military Coordination Group for Lebanon (MCG4L) will need to work closely with the Military Technical Committee for Lebanon (MTC4L), an Italian-led multinational structure that the United States and other countries joined in March 2024 with the goal of reinforcing Lebanon’s security institutions.
Moreover, the repeated failure to identify a third party capable of assessing implementation of the Hezbollah disarmament plan contributed to the stalemate that impeded progress last year. This could happen again if authorities do not clarify the verification process to be used for the nascent “pilot zones” in southern Lebanon. Some European countries are willing to deploy troops to participate in this process, so Washington could consider them as part of the “mutually agreed-upon third-party entity” referred to in publicly reported versions of the trilateral framework’s security annex.
Lebanon. Following months of debates over whether the LAF’s dearth of progress against Hezbollah stems from lack of ability or lack of will, Beirut has convinced Washington and Europe that at least part of the answer lies in capacity shortfalls. Given the proliferation of initiatives to support the LAF, Beirut must now take the lead in three ways. First, it must specify the military’s needs in concrete terms (though this may need to be done privately given the sensitivity of such security matters). Second, it must demonstrate that it welcomes international support in order to strengthen its own capabilities, not to outsource its security needs. As mentioned above, this includes taking action on the necessary expansion of its navy. Third, it must extend its protection as a host country by holding those who attack foreign partners accountable and bringing them to prompt justice.
Israel. European relations with Israel are in very bad shape. Most recently, Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar severed contact with EU High Representative Kallas after accusing her of comparing his country to apartheid-era South Africa in private meetings—a significant rupture given that she heads the European External Action Service, the institution that would implement any potential EU mission in Lebanon.
Going forward, European officials should keep in mind the trilateral agreement’s declaration that Israel has “no territorial ambitions in Lebanon,” which provides welcome contradiction to remarks by some Israeli ministers. In the meantime, they must find ways to deconflict any EU mission in Lebanon with the Israeli government—especially if Israeli forces are still conducting ground operations there.
For their part, Israeli leaders would be wise to accept a European presence aimed at empowering the LAF. They should also heed the lesson Israel first learned decades ago—that occupying Lebanese territory to protect itself ultimately reinforces the narrative of malign actors who insist on keeping large military arsenals of their own in order to “resist” the occupation. If anything, the best answer to Israel’s security dilemma lies in strengthening those elements of the Lebanese government who have expressed political determination to consolidate sovereignty.
*Souhire Medini is a visiting fellow at The Washington Institute, in residence from the French Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs.

The Israel-Lebanon Framework Agreement Will Only Succeed if Washington Enforces It
David Daoud and Justin Leopold-Cohen/FDD-Policy Brief/July 06/2026
The Pentagon may have missed a significant deadline on Lebanon. Congress, in the 2026 National Defense Authorization Act, gave the secretary of defense until June 30 to report on how to assess Lebanese Armed Forces (LAF) efforts to disarm Hezbollah, including whether U.S. aid should be suspended if “it is determined that [LAF] are unwilling to act to disarm Hezbollah.”
The Department of Defense has not publicly delivered any such rubric. Meanwhile, on June 26, the United States concluded a framework agreement between Israel and Lebanon, aiming to advance Hezbollah’s disarmament and bilateral peace. But with neither measurable standards in place for the LAF’s performance nor leverage, this framework may end in failure like its numerous predecessors.
U.S. Brokers a New Agreement for an Old Conflict
This latest U.S.-brokered arrangement between Israel and Lebanon, dubbed the “Trilateral Framework,” contains 14 points. The most significant clauses condition U.S. military assistance to the LAF and gradual Israeli withdrawal from south Lebanon upon Lebanon’s incremental but “complete and verified disarmament” of Hezbollah.
To that end, the agreement calls for “pilot zones,” small parcels of Israeli-occupied Lebanese territory to be “gradually” transferred to the LAF’s “full and effective” control. Once the LAF is “confirm[ed]” to have “successful[ly] disarm[ed]” Hezbollah “and dismantle[d] their infrastructure in these zones,” additional pilot zones will be transferred to the LAF. Per the reported terms of a still officially undisclosed “Security Annex,” full Israeli withdrawal from Lebanon will accordingly be “phased, conditions-based, [and] progressive,” conditioned upon Lebanon’s “successful completion of an agreed-upon and verifiable disarmament and dismantlement process” that will be verified “by a mutually agreed-upon third-party entity.”
Precedent Does Not Portend Success
On its face, the Framework Agreement is promising. But — like similarly promising UN Security Council Resolution 1701 and the November 2024 ceasefire agreement, which, respectively, ended the 2006 Israel-Hezbollah war and paused the current one — the June 26 framework may contain the seeds of its own failure if the third-party entity relies on the LAF’s reporting, as others have.
After November 2024, Lebanon remained fearful of restraining Hezbollah, let alone coercively seizing its arsenal, lest that ignite a civil war. Beirut then sought to cover up this failure with a series of cosmetic measures, culminating in the LAF’s January 8, 2026, declaration that it had cleared Hezbollah from the Southern Litani Sector (SLS). Meanwhile, Hezbollah dismissed disarmament efforts, boasted its regeneration was outpacing even ongoing Israeli operations, and refused to confirm the LAF’s declaration.
The group was telling the truth. Hezbollah restarted the conflict with Israel in early March, tenaciously fighting the Israel Defense Forces from the SLS, where it retained a significant fighting force and military assets. In the months since, Beirut has not acted on its unprecedented March 2 ban on Hezbollah’s military activities, and the LAF is still effectively refusing to enforce it. Meanwhile, Lebanese officialdom, including President Joseph Aoun and Prime Minister Nawaf Salam, still insist on addressing Hezbollah’s arms through “domestic dialogue,” an approach that has repeatedly facilitated Hezbollah’s regeneration.
Washington Must Set Standards for Hezbollah Disarmament
The Framework Agreement’s “verifiable milestones” must therefore be tied to an enforceable, measurable rubric. Otherwise, Beirut and the LAF are likely to again avoid undertaking meaningful action against Hezbollah. Despite the June 30 deadline passing, the administration should nevertheless communicate precise and realistic metrics for Lebanon to fulfill. The U.S.-brokered June 3 Israel-Lebanon understanding, for example, required the “evacuation of all Hizbollah [sic] operatives from the South Litani Sector.” However, most of the group’s fighters are local residents and, therefore, monitored demobilization would have been more effective and appropriate.
Washington should also communicate concrete consequences if Lebanon repeats past failures. This includes withholding military and other promised assistance to Lebanon while supporting Israel’s resumption of proactive operations against Hezbollah.
In the May 2026 Central Command Posture Statement, Adm. Brad Cooper testified that “while the United States continues to support our Lebanese partners and real progress is underway, important work remains.” If that work is to have a chance, Washington must state exactly what it expects of Lebanon and be ready to hold Lebanon to account.
**David Daoud is a senior fellow at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies (FDD), where he focuses on Israel, Hezbollah, and Lebanon affairs, and Justin Leopold-Cohen is a senior research analyst with the Center on Military and Political Power (CMPP) at FDD. For more analysis from David, Justin, and FDD, please subscribe HERE. Follow David on X @DavidADaoud and Justin @jleopoldcohen. Follow FDD on X @FDD. FDD is a Washington, DC-based, nonpartisan research institute focusing on national security and foreign policy.

Abolishing Lebanon’s ‘Anti-Normalization’ Laws: A Prerequisite for Peace
David Schenker/The Washington Institute/published on Jul 01/2026
https://www.washingtoninstitute.org/policy-analysis/abolishing-lebanons-anti-normalization-laws-prerequisite-peace
Recent Lebanese media engagement with Israelis is a welcome sign, but U.S. mediators should let this organic trend gain momentum for the time being rather than pressuring Beirut to make immediate legislative changes.
Last week in Washington, Lebanon and Israel declared their intent to end the state of war and committed to draft a peace treaty. The Framework Agreement is ambitious and faces significant obstacles to implementation, including, principally, Iran-backed Hezbollah. But Lebanon’s own antiquated boycott regulations are also a barrier to improved relations between the neighboring states.
On April 23, President Trump was introduced to Lebanon’s Orwellian censorship laws. In the Oval Office after the second round of U.S.-brokered Israeli-Lebanese peace talks, Anthony Merchek, a correspondent with MTV, asked Trump about Lebanon’s draconian “anti-normalization” laws that bar Lebanese citizens from engaging with their Israeli neighbors. “It’s a crime to talk with Israel?” Trump asked, seemingly unaware of the proscription. “Well, I’m pretty sure that will be ended very quickly. I’ll make sure of that,” he added.
The president will have his work cut out for him. Lebanon’s restrictions have existed for the past 71 years. But the direct peace negotiations between Lebanon and Israel are challenging this taboo on Lebanese contact with Israelis. Increasingly, Lebanese are talking about ending these anachronistic statutes—and some are even flagrantly violating this outdated ban.
Fittingly, Lebanese journalists are leading the charge. Since the launch of direct talks, several reporters have aired interviews with Israelis on Lebanese television channels and websites. These scoops can get Lebanese correspondents into serious trouble. Lebanese military courts routinely prosecute and sentence Lebanese civilians to jail time. Harassment and threats by Hezbollah and its media outlets are also not uncommon.
Israel has reportedly raised the ban during the peace negotiations, but changing the anti-normalization laws isn’t a Lebanese priority. Nonetheless, Lebanese journalists and media outlets increasingly appear to be disregarding the prohibition.
Shortly after the talks started, for example, the U.S.-based Lebanese journalist Hanin Ghaddar—a colleague of mine at The Washington Institute for Near East Policy—interviewed the Israeli expert on Hezbollah Sarit Zehavi for the Lebanese-owned news website This Is Beirut. A month later, on May 29, the same site posted a lengthy interview with Yechiel Leiter, the Israeli ambassador to Washington, who leads the Israeli delegation at the peace talks. The following week, on June 4, Leiter again appeared in the Lebanese media, this time on the Beirut-based Al Jadeed television station. In an unprecedented step, the channel’s Washington correspondent Pedro Ghanem asked the Israeli ambassador a question, which he answered.
These exchanges may seem trivial, but under Lebanese law they constitute criminal offenses. Nevertheless, just a day later, during a prime-time interview on Lebanon’s most popular TV channel, LBCI, anchor Toni Mrad interviewed Israeli journalist Barak Ravid, a reporter for Axios in Washington and a correspondent for Israel’s Channel 12 News. The interview was widely covered and interpreted in the regional media—both Arab and Israeli—as an act of defiance by the Lebanese media.
It’s not clear whether these latest Lebanese engagements with Israelis will be prosecuted by the Lebanese authorities. But the military court has clearly taken notice and is apparently looking to stem the tide. Shortly after the LBCI episode, the tribunal sentenced Maria Maalouf—a Lebanese journalist residing in the United States—to 15 years in prison for a 2021 interview with the Israeli channel Kan News. And in separate but related proceedings, the military court sentenced two other Lebanese nationals in absentia to hard time for social media postings that the court deemed pro-Israel or critical of Hezbollah.
In other words, while Lebanon’s leaders are negotiating with Israel about forging peace and disarming Hezbollah, the Lebanese deep state is indicting Lebanese citizens advocating the very same things. Meanwhile, the pro-Hezbollah paper Al Akhbar is lamenting the trend toward normalization with Israel. Al Jadeed’s coverage, one article stated, had “surpassed the Hebrew channels” in promoting the Israeli narrative. Days later, another commentary disparaging LBCI bemoaned—without irony—journalists’ “disdain” for Lebanese law.
In spite of—or perhaps because of—the criticism, the night that article was published, Al Jadeed doubled down. During his talk show, host George Salibi directed a question to Hassan Fadlallah, a Hezbollah member of Lebanon’s parliament. Salibi read from his phone a query posed moments earlier on the social media platform X by an Israeli army spokesperson. Fadlallah was scandalized. An Al Akhbar article the next day said the incident “raises increasing questions about the trajectory of some Lebanese media outlets.” Indeed it does.
Over the past months, we’ve seen a move toward more normal—if not normalized—relations between Lebanon and Israel. Yet it’s unclear whether the recent flurry of Lebanese media engagements with Israelis represents an opening of the floodgates. Clearly, many among Lebanon’s Fourth Estate understand these laws—originating in 1955—to be outdated, stifling, and largely in the interests of Hezbollah. But Beirut hasn’t decided where it will come down. Amid the peace talks and Israel’s ongoing military incursion into Lebanon, President Joseph Aoun’s government is under enormous pressure from Hezbollah. The new U.S.-Iran Memorandum of Understanding—which links the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz to Lebanon—has buoyed the Iran-backed militia and added to the pressures on the government.
Given all this recent media engagement, U.S. mediators might be tempted to start pressing Lebanon to rescind or suspend its anti-normalization laws. But absent concrete progress on the ground, doing so could undermine Beirut’s already tenuous credibility. For the time being, the wiser U.S. approach would be to stand aside, let this organic normalization gain momentum, and intercede only to dissuade the Lebanese government from prosecuting cases.
Buoyed by the U.S.-Iran agreement to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, Hezbollah will try to roll back this nascent glasnost in the Lebanese media. The militia opposes the direct peace talks, and the only engagement with Israel it wants is military confrontation. But if the peace negotiations and the media actions persist, Lebanon may have a chance to reach a new normal with its neighbor.
**David Schenker is the Taube Senior Fellow at The Washington Institute and director of its Rubin Program on Arab Politics. This article was originally published on L’Orient Today’s website.

Between Al-Sharaa's Interview and Al-Shaibani's Visit
Nadim Qoteish/Asas Media/July 06/2026 (google translation from Arabic)
https://eliasbejjaninews.com/2026/07/155722/
Two simultaneous scenes reveal together what neither can reveal individually.
The first scene is Syrian President Ahmed Al-Sharaa in a televised interview he chose to dedicate to Lebanese-Syrian relations. In it, he stated, in calm and measured terms, that the new Syria would not interfere in Lebanon, that its role would be "through Lebanese institutions and the Lebanese state," and that the era of tutelage was over for good. The second scene is his Foreign Minister, Asaad Al-Shaibani, in Beirut, meeting with party leaders and heads of religious communities, visiting specific cities, and navigating Lebanon's sectarian and political landscape with the fluency of someone who knows the old lexicon of relations between the two countries.
Between the two scenes lies a distance that cannot be ignored.
The Need for Syria and Lebanon
The most prominent new element in Al-Sharaa's discourse is his clear break with the logic of tutelage. He rejected military intervention in Lebanon despite the explicit American cover provided by President Donald Trump's statement. Al-Sharaa stated that the new Syria does not seek to revive past roles under new guises. This position carries exceptional political weight, regardless of the objective circumstances of Syria's current capabilities, which objectively preclude such intervention. The second novel aspect is his economic vision for the relationship between the two countries. When he said that Beirut is Damascus's seafront and Tripoli is Homs's seafront, al-Sharaa was reframing the relationship with Lebanon from the perspective of partnership and economic integration, not from the perspective of political influence and security and military dominance. Syria, which is now positioned as a strategic link between East and West, needs Lebanon's sea access, and Lebanon, which seeks to revive its economic role, needs Syria's strategic depth. The third novel aspect is his pragmatism regarding Hezbollah and the relationship with the Shiite community. His declaration of willingness to engage with Hezbollah if it serves Lebanon's interests, while clearly condemning the party's intervention in Syria, reflects a mature and responsible political thinking that distinguishes between holding the party accountable for past actions and managing the present.
Lebanon's Old Approach to the New Syria
In contrast, the visit of Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shaibani, in its exaggerated form, bears traces of Syria's old behavior toward Lebanon and reveals a chasm that is difficult to bridge. Al-Sharaa stated in his interview that the Syrian role in Lebanon should be "through Lebanese institutions and the Lebanese state," yet al-Shaibani met in a single day with the President, the Prime Minister, the Speaker of Parliament, the Grand Mufti, the Maronite Patriarch, and party leaders, before concluding his meetings with a massive public visit to Tripoli. The itinerary of the visit transcends diplomatic protocol and establishes a complete network of influence with the leader, the sheikh, the city, and the sect. It is only fair to say that al-Shaibani did not come in a vacuum, but rather at the invitation of Lebanon, which demands to be treated as a sovereign state, and then proceeds to open its sectarian and partisan doors to the Damascus guest. In this sense, the visit is not merely a Syrian contradiction, but a deeper and more disturbing truth: that Lebanon was an active participant in shaping its details, thus repeating an old, deeply rooted habit: inviting foreign intervention to resolve internal conflicts. Al-Shaybani didn't come to Beirut because Damascus decided to expand its influence. He came because Lebanese doors were opened to him, because Lebanese voices welcomed the broadening scope of his visit, and because certain cities wanted to tell Damascus, "We are here, and we are with you." But some saw it as a necessary and unavoidable intimidation tactic against Hezbollah.
Lebanon with its many authorities and spheres of influence: If Lebanese institutions were functioning at full capacity, and if the Lebanese state possessed genuine central authority, the visit, conducted through protocol, would have been entirely different: a foreign minister meeting a foreign minister, a prime minister meeting a prime minister, one institution speaking to another. But Lebanon is not like that. Lebanon is a state where actual power is distributed among sectarian leaders, party chiefs, and spheres of influence. Anyone who wants to build a relationship with the real Lebanon, not the fragile official Lebanon, finds themselves compelled to adopt al-Shaybani's approach, not the protocol of legitimacy.
The fundamental question is: Have the Lebanese decided to stop paving the way for the latent ambitions of tutelage inherent in every Syrian relationship with Lebanon? This question cannot be answered by Sharia law or by al-Shaybani. Only the Lebanese themselves can answer it, at the moment they decide to build a state that does not need external intervention to fill its void. That moment, it seems, has not yet arrived. Until it does, foreign tutelage will continue to be invoked and will find an open door, regardless of who sits in the Presidential Palace or who holds the Syrian Foreign Ministry portfolio.

The Latest English LCCC Miscellaneous Reports And News published on 06-07 July/2026
Khamenei funeral procession begins in Tehran as huge crowds expected
Associated Press/July 06/2026
Iran began a procession Monday through its capital, Tehran, for the funeral of the late Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. Khamenei's flag-draped coffin, and those of his family killed Feb. 28 in an airstrike at the start of the war launched by Israel and the United States, sat on board a truck. Authorities decorated the truck's side to resemble the ornamental grating that surrounds the shrine of an imam. The truck crept through crowds of black-clad mourners, who reached out to touch the grating. Some threw scarves and other items for attendants to brush against the coffin, a common practice in Iran seen as a blessing. Attendants sprayed misted water across the crowds to cool them in the summertime temperatures. Authorities appeared concerned about the dangers of having a large crowd alongside the procession, with officials on loudspeakers urging the public to walk slowly, not to push and to stay to the edges of the street. The coffins will be taken through the streets of Tehran on their way to Mehrabad International Airport over a 12-hour journey, said Revolutionary Guard Gen. Hasan Hasanzsdeh, who is overseeing the procession. Iran's theocracy plans to see large crowds attend the ceremony across the city to show popular support for the government. Already, hundreds of thousands have gathered at squares in Tehran, waving flags and banners in Khamenei's honor. Authorities have shut down streets, airspace and daily life for the mourning, which began Saturday and will end Thursday as the 86-year-old Khamenei is buried at the Imam Reza shrine in Mashhad, his birthplace. The U.S. is meanwhile pressing ahead with negotiations with Iran aimed at fully reopening the Strait of Hormuz, rolling back its disputed nuclear program and reaching a permanent end to the war. Talks appear to be on hold until after the burial. As the funeral has gone on, however, there's increasingly been threats from mourners to avenge Khamenei's death. Mourners and the signs they carry have called for the killing of both U.S. President Donald Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Such signs were seen again Monday along the procession's route, with one effigy of Trump being hanged. U.S. federal authorities have been tracking Iranian threats against Trump and other administration officials for years, stemming from Trump's ordering the 2020 killing of Gen. Qassem Soleimani, who had led the elite Quds Force. Iran has repeatedly denied plotting to kill Trump, though hard-line propaganda footage long has suggested Trump was in Tehran's crosshairs. Trump meanwhile promised to destroy Iran's civilization during the war, among other threats. "Today that we are here for the funeral for our leader, it's a very tough day," mourner Fatima Hassan said Monday morning. "We are not here to say goodbye to him, we are here for revenge. And we will take revenge."

Trump says there will either be a deal with Iran or US will ‘finish the job’
Al Arabiya English/06 July ,2026
President Donald Trump said on Monday the United States would either reach a deal with Iran or “finish the job,” renewing his threat of military action as Tehran projects defiance following the funeral of slain supreme leader Ali Khamenei. Indirect US-Iran talks ended last week without any public sign of headway toward a lasting peace, despite a 60-day ceasefire intended to create space for diplomacy following the US and Israeli strikes that triggered the conflict. “We’re either going to make a deal or we’re going to finish the job. OK. And it won’t be tough to finish the job. I’d rather make a deal, because I don’t want to affect 91 million people,” Trump told reporters in the Oval Office. “We can knock down their bridges in one hour, we can knock out their energy supply.... They don’t have any money now. We haven’t given them any money.”Trump spoke after Khamenei’s weekend funeral where, rather than looking weakened by the war that began with US and Israeli strikes on February 28, the Iranian regime appeared to be defiant. The 60-day ceasefire was intended by Washington to revive diplomacy on stopping Iran developing a nuclear arsenal. With Reuters

UKMTO says tanker catches fire after projectile strike east of Oman’s Limah
Reuters/07 July ,2026
A tanker was hit by an unknown projectile on its port side while traveling southbound about 8 nautical miles (14.8 km) east of Oman’s Limah, causing a fire, the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations agency (UKMTO) said early on Tuesday. UKMTO said no casualties or environmental impact had been reported.

France’s Macron visits Syria, in first trip by an EU head of state since toppling al-Assad
AFP, Damascus/06 July ,2026
French President Emmanuel Macron landed in Syria on Monday, in the first visit to Damascus by a European Union head of state the ouster of Bashar al-Assad in 2024.
“I am here to affirm France's commitment to the Syrian people. For a sovereign Syria, united in its diversity and at peace with its neighbors. Together, let's open a new page of stability and peace,” Macron said on X. Macron, who was greeted at Damascus airport by Foreign Minister Asaad Al-Shaibani, will hold a working dinner with President Ahmed al-Sharaa before further meetings on Tuesday, according to an agenda from the French presidency.Syria's reconstruction is set to be one of the key themes of the trip, and Macron will be accompanied by business leaders including the CEOs of TotalEnergies and French container shipping group CMA CGM, a French presidential official told reporters ahead of the visit. Macron will also stress France's commitment to a free, pluralistic Syria that respects all of its communities and meet Syrians from all backgrounds and affiliations, the official added.
The French presidential official said that Syria could only be a partner for France if pluralism is fully taken into account, and that it was out of the question for France that one form of exclusive power should simply replace another. Al-Sharaa met Macron during a visit to France last year, his first to a European country since toppling al-Assad. Macron was a leading voice calling for the lifting of Western sanctions, which were largely removed last year.

Syria president hails France's 'constructive role' in transition as Macron visits
LBCI/July 06/2026
Syria's President Ahmed al-Sharaa hailed France's "constructive role" in the transition since the toppling of longtime ruler Bashar al-Assad, as French leader Emmanuel Macron made the first post-conflict visit to Damascus by a Western European leader."Macron has sought to engage with us in Syria and followed every step and stage of the transition," Sharaa said in an interview with French channel BFMTV aired on Monday evening, adding France also "helped Syria in lifting the sanctions imposed on it" under Assad. AFP

Israel parliament advances bill for inquiry into Oct. 7 failures
AFP/06 July ,2026
The Israeli parliament approved a bill in its first reading on Monday to set up a commission of inquiry into the security failings that led to the Hamas attack on October 7, 2023. “The purpose of the proposed law is to bring about a full, thorough, and independent investigation of the events of the... October 7 massacre” and the wars that followed, an explanatory note to the bill said.The Hamas attack on October 7 killed more than 1,300 people, including children, civilians and soldiers. It’s shaken the nation to the core. More than two-and-a-half years later, Gaza remains mired in a severe humanitarian crisis, and despite a fragile ceasefire reached between Israel and Hamas in October 2025, efforts to bring the war to a definitive end have stalled for months.

Hamas dissolves Gaza governing body: Group official
AFP/06 July ,2026
Palestinian movement Hamas announced Monday the dissolution of the body that has governed the Gaza Strip for nearly two decades, clearing the way for a technocratic committee to implement civilian rule. The move marks a significant political shift by Hamas, which has run Gaza since its fighters seized control from rival Palestinian movement Fatah in 2007 after winning legislative elections the previous year. Since a ceasefire took effect in Gaza last October between Hamas and Israel, the group has repeatedly said it is prepared to step aside from day-to-day governance, but the thorny issue of its disarmament remains unresolved. “The head of the government’s emergency committee Mohammed al-Farra has officially submitted his resignation,” Ismail al-Thawabta, head of Hamas’ government media office told AFP. “He has also decided to dissolve the committee to facilitate the administrative and governmental transition to the National Committee for the Administration of Gaza (NCAG).”The NCAG was created by the Board of Peace that US President Donald Trump established when he brokered the ceasefire between Hamas and Israel in October 2025. “Hamas has taken a new step in that it will no longer be in charge of the Gaza Strip, in order to remove any pretexts for the occupation, which continues its aggression and war of extermination,” Hamas spokesman Hazem Qassem told AFP. “We hope for the swift entry of the National Committee for the Administration of Gaza, and Hamas affirms its readiness to hand over governmental responsibilities to the committee to ensure its success.” A Hamas official earlier told AFP that the group had already informed other Palestinian factions about its decision at a recent meeting in Cairo. “The factions welcomed Hamas’s decision, describing it as a serious step towards enabling the National Committee to take up its governing role,” the official said. The dissolution of the Hamas body paves the way for the NCAG, headed by Palestinian technocrat Ali Shaath, to assume administrative responsibilities in the territory. The NCAG has remained based outside Gaza for months, reportedly due to Israeli objections to its entry into the war-devastated territory. Hamas and other Palestinian factions have held several rounds of talks in Cairo with mediators to narrow differences, particularly over the second phase of the Gaza ceasefire. The first phase involved the release of the last Israeli hostages held by Hamas in exchange for Palestinians detained by Israel. The transition to the second phase, which was to involve Hamas’s disarmament and a gradual withdrawal of Israeli forces from Gaza, has been stalled for months. Israeli forces have actually expanded their presence in the territory in recent months, taking control of nearly 70 percent. Meanwhile, Hamas is demanding the establishment of a Palestinian administration before it will consider handing over any part of its arsenal. The question of Gaza’s post-war governance remains one of the main sticking points in negotiations on implementing phase two. Israel rejects any return of Hamas to power, but also rejects a direct takeover by the Ramallah-based Palestinian Authority at this stage.

UN deems Israel’s detention of Gaza doctor ‘arbitrary’ as health fears mount
Reuters/06 July ,2026
A UN human rights body on Monday called Israel’s detention of Gazan doctor Hussam Abu Safiya arbitrary and urged his immediate release, as rights groups and his lawyer warned that his life was in imminent danger. In its finding, the UN Working Group on Arbitrary Detention said that Israel’s actions contravened multiple articles of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights as well as the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights.“The appropriate remedy would be to release Mr. Abu Safiya immediately and accord him an enforceable right to compensation and other reparations,” it said.
The panel also raised broader concerns, saying the case — one of several submitted to it — “may indicate a widespread or systematic practice of arbitrary detention in the country.” The Israel Prison Service and the Israeli diplomatic mission in Geneva did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Israel did not respond to the UN working group when approached about the case in July last year, it said. MENA Rights Group, which filed the complaint, said the 52-year-old pediatrician and director of Gaza’s Kamal Adwan hospital has been held since December 2024. It said he has faced repeated solitary confinement, lengthy interrogations and beatings with batons and electric shock sticks. Earlier on Monday, his lawyer Nasser Odeh said via a prisoners’ group that his health was in grave danger and that he had been subjected to daily abuse. Video footage of him from a Supreme Court hearing last month showed him looking visibly thinner. “If Dr Abu Safiya dies in that cell, it will be murder, and everyone who had the power to stop it - and did nothing - will be complicit,” said Steve Cutts, CEO of charity Medical Aid for Palestinians. The Israel Prison Service previously rejected allegations that Abu Safiya and other doctors have been mistreated in prison. Last month, Israel’s Supreme Court rejected an appeal to release him. It based its decision on “confidential materials” under a law for so-called unlawful combatants which also allows detention for indefinitely renewable periods. The Israeli military has accused Abu Safiya of being a member of the Palestinian militant group Hamas. It has not provided evidence and Gaza’s health ministry and Hamas have denied the allegation. Abu Safiya is among at least 14 doctors from Gaza who have been detained in Israel without charge for more than a year. His case is emblematic of “Israel’s systematic targeting of Palestinian healthcare workers, which has contributed to the collapse of Gaza’s healthcare system...,” Tanya Boulakovski, research lead at MENA Rights Group, told Reuters. In 2023, Abu Safiya was among the doctors who refused to leave the dozens of newborn infants they were treating after the Israeli military ordered them to leave. The UN working group’s legal interpretations are non-binding but are sometimes cited as evidence in cases before international courts.

Al-Alimi calls for international investigation into IRGC plane landing in Sanaa
Al Arabiya English/06 July ,2026
Yemen’s Presidential Leadership Council Chairman Rashad al-Alimi on Monday called for an independent international investigation and tougher sanctions on the Houthis, after an Iranian plane landed at Sanaa International Airport. Al-Alimi said the plane belonged to Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) and described the incident as “an extremely dangerous development, a blatant violation of Yemeni sovereignty and a challenge to the international order.”Speaking during a meeting in Riyadh with ambassadors from countries sponsoring Yemen’s political process, al-Alimi said preliminary information confirmed that the flight was not humanitarian in nature. He said it was carrying Iranian military and security experts specialized in developing missiles and drones, as well as electronic technologies and communications equipment for command-and-control systems. He also said the aircraft’s tracking system had been repeatedly switched off over Yemeni airspace. Al-Alimi called on the international community to strictly enforce UN Security Council resolutions and the sanctions regime, particularly Resolution 2216, and to prevent civilian aircraft, airports and ports from being used as cover for transporting military equipment. He warned that allowing the global economy, maritime security and energy routes to become “hostage to the calculations of Iran’s militias” poses a threat that extends beyond Yemen’s borders.Al-Alimi accused the Houthis of using large financial resources to buy and smuggle weapons and fund secret cells to carry out assassinations of civilian leaders in areas controlled by Yemen’s internationally recognized government, instead of using those funds to pay the salaries of public-sector employees. He renewed the council and government’s commitment to a just peace based on the three agreed-upon references, while warning of a firm response to any military escalation on the front lines. Al-Alimi also praised Saudi Arabia’s role in supporting peace efforts, sponsoring political initiatives, funding relief, development and reconstruction projects, and supporting Yemen’s central bank in a way that has helped strengthen monetary stability. He also cited Saudi funding for electricity, water, health, education and basic services projects across Yemen’s provinces, as well as the Kingdom’s hosting of millions of Yemenis for work, residency, education and investment.

Trump to meet with Ukraine's Zelensky and Syria's al-Sharaa during NATO summit
Associated Press/July 06/2026
President Donald Trump plans to meet with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and Syrian President Ahmad al-Sharaa on Wednesday while attending the NATO summit in Turkey, the White House said. Those discussions will come as Kyiv tries to refocus Trump's attention on the conflict with Moscow and as Trump has publicly mused about Syria's role in the Middle East. White House spokesperson Anna Kelly confirmed the meetings in a call with reporters while previewing the upcoming summit in Ankara, where Trump also plans to meet with Turkey's President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Tuesday. Before returning to the United States on Wednesday, Trump is scheduled to have a news conference, Kelly said. Trump's meeting with Zelensky comes as Russia's war in Ukraine is now in its fifth year. Both Zelensky and Russian President Vladimir Putin held phone calls with Trump on Saturday, congratulating him on the July Fourth commemoration of the 250th anniversary of American independence. Zelensky said in a statement on X after his call that he and Trump spoke about the situation on the front lines of the war, where analysts say Russian advances have sputtered. Ukraine, has stepped up its attacks on Moscow and demonstrated its ability to strike deeper into Russia. The Ukrainian leader said there is "a real prospect of ending this war," and that conversation would continue at the NATO summit in Ankara. Kremlin foreign affairs adviser Yuri Ushakov said that in Putin's call with Trump, the Republican president reaffirmed his "readiness to help achieve a quick cessation of hostilities and search for peaceful solutions to settle the crisis" in Ukraine. A senior U.S. official who spoke to reporters on condition of anonymity on Sunday to describe the administration's approach said Trump feels a sense of urgency to bring the war to an end and will speak to Zelensky about how to do that. Trump is expected to follow up with Putin after his meeting with Zelensky in Ankara, the official said. U.S. officials did not provide any details about the goals for Trump's meeting with al-Sharaa. As Trump has grown frustrated with Israel's war with Hezbollah in Lebanon, which has complicated negotiations in the Iran war, the U.S. leader has repeatedly stunned many in the region by suggesting that Syria instead fight Hezbollah. Al-Sharaa, who led an Islamic insurgent group and whose rebel forces ousted Bashar Assad as Syria's president, has said he has no interest in doing so. He has suggested Trump's comments were misconstrued, even as Trump has repeated them.

Infantino told Trump FIFA disciplinary body is 'independent'
LBCI/July 06/2026
Gianni Infantino said Monday he told Donald Trump that FIFA's disciplinary body was independent when the president rang him about reviewing US World Cup star Folarin Balogun's red card. "I explained that there was an ongoing legal process involving FIFA's independent judicial bodies and that the case would be decided in due course by the competent bodies," FIFA chief Infantino said in a statement. The u-turn over Balogun's one-game suspension allows him to play later Monday in the World Cup last 16 match with Belgium. AFFP

Death toll from Venezuela quakes rises to 3,535 as thousands remain displaced
Reuters/06 July ,2026
The death toll from Venezuela’s twin earthquakes has risen to 3,535, authorities said on Monday, while nearly 18,000 people remain homeless more than a week after the disaster struck the capital and nearby coastal areas. Top lawmaker Jorge Rodriguez said the latest official tally showed 16,740 people injured and 17,854 left without housing after the June 24 quakes, which measured magnitudes 7.2 and 7.5 and struck within seconds of each other. The new figures underscore the scale of the disaster in and around Caracas and La Guaira, the coastal area hit hardest, as criticism mounts over the government’s response. Venezuela’s social vice presidency said at least 12,800 people were staying in 80 shelters across Caracas and La Guaira. Acting President Delcy Rodriguez has defended the government’s handling of the disaster amid growing frustration from Venezuelans who have described the response as late and inadequate.
She said security forces were deployed immediately after the quakes and announced the creation of a new military unit to help tackle future emergencies and disasters. In La Guaira on Monday, Reuters witnesses saw trucks and forensic workers transporting coffins, while machinery dug trenches in an open area marked by white crosses, where authorities were burying unidentified bodies. The United Nations said it was continuing to ramp up aid operations in coordination with the government in Caracas. “Some search and rescue teams remain deployed in the affected areas, while other specialized engineering teams and medical support continue to arrive,” UN spokesperson Stephane Dujarric told reporters on Monday. Dujarric said a comprehensive needs assessment that will form the basis of an updated response plan was nearly complete, though he did not say when it would be released. UN agencies are already providing services in three camps and assessing other sites for expanded support.

BRICS alternatives to dollar no longer a ‘fantasy,’ economist O’Neill says
Reuters/06 July ,2026
A quarter of a century since he spotted the growing clout of emerging-market countries, the economist who coined the BRIC acronym said those countries could eventually build alternatives to the dollar, an idea which had seemed a “fantasy” until only very recently.
Jim O’Neill told Reuters that recent advances in payment technologies have changed his view on the prospects for alternative financial arrangements among BRICS nations — Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa.“About 18 months ago, if you would have quizzed me about all of this, I would have said it’s a fantasy, the idea that the BRICS countries can create some kind of alternative financial vehicle,” he said in an interview. That belief was in part due to much of the thinking about the global monetary system being shaped by decades of dollar dominance following the collapse in the 1970s of the system established by the Bretton Woods Agreement, he said. “Who knows quite what the monetary system will be in the future?”De-dollarization — efforts by countries to reduce reliance on the greenback in trade, investment and central bank reserves — has become a growing goal for many emerging economies in recent years, though the dollar remains by far the world’s dominant reserve and trade currency.
Powerful symbol, limited achievements
O’Neill, a former Goldman Sachs economist, said BRICS members have struggled to turn their collective vision into policy. Divergent geopolitical and economic interests have complicated efforts to transform the global economic system in their favor. “The symbolism is really powerful,” O’Neill said. “But in terms of achieving specific things, with the honorable exception of creating the New Development Bank, I’m struggling to think of another thing.”The BRICS grouping has been discussing alternatives to dollar-based payment systems, ranging from the BRICS Pay platform initiative to linking up already existing domestic systems such as India’s UPI, China’s CIPS and Brazil’s PIX or looking at the potential future use of Central Bank Digital Currencies. The original four BRIC nations held their first summit in 2009 and invited South Africa to join a year later. It later evolved into BRICS+, a broader platform to champion the interests of the Global South, with Egypt, Ethiopia, Indonesia, Iran and the United Arab Emirates among those filling out the group. O’Neill and Gemma Chenger Deng co-founded BRICS+ Thinking, a non-profit policy platform that will commission research aimed at fostering collaboration between Western countries and BRICS+ nations. The platform also plans to develop its own indexes and publish growth forecasts for BRICS+ economies. She said the platform, backed by seed funding from O’Neill, aimed to inform policymaking on issues from climate change and energy transition to global health and AI governance. “It’s really to look at issues that are genuinely global, that would affect all of us — and it would be disastrous if we don’t work together,” she said. O’Neill noted that the BRICS group is already getting more attention. “I joke that I never recall any American presidents of the preceding 25 years even mentioning the BRICS. And Donald Trump can’t shut up about them.”

The Latest LCCC analysis & editorials from miscellaneous sources published on 06-07 July/2026
Iraq’s war on corruption a test that must be passed
Ghassan Charbel/Asharq Al-Awsat./July 06, 2026
Baghdad is witnessing thunderous chapters in the war on corruption. Factual reports are mixed with fabrications and accurate images with doctored pictures. The Baghdadis’ schadenfreude over the fall of the “big catches” has been loud and public. They watch the news: piles of dollars buried inside walls or in gardens. They pass stories of gold around and of the crowns of corruption. They laugh in the streets every time the misdeeds of a parliamentarian, a governor or a senior official are exposed in one of the state’s “mines” — and there are many.
I visited a well-placed official and the meeting was as enjoyable as it was instructive. He said: “Please don’t compare your corruption to ours. You cannot compare an ordinary appetizer platter with a lavish, indeed fabulous, banquet. Besides, the thieves of Baghdad are far more dangerous than the thieves of Beirut. The figures in your country look terribly modest next to ours. The talk in Baghdad is of a figure close to $500 billion; now the number keeps climbing.”
He added: “Would you believe that a country sleeping on staggering wealth was racing toward an economic collapse — one that would have included an inability to pay salaries — had the matter not been addressed in time?”
The Iraqi street has clearly embraced the battle that Ali Al-Zaidi’s government has launched against corruption and the corrupt. It is no small matter to haul corrupt figures in for questioning after they had long enjoyed what are known as partisan, factional or mafia “protections” and to demand they give back what they had looted. Some Iraqis do not hide their fear that the “sponsors of corruption” may set aside their differences to throw political, security and legal sticks into the wheels of the current government. They fear impediments to the confinement of weapons to the hands of legitimate forces and ending the long era of uncontrolled weapons — an era whose costs have proven steep after it battered the state’s authority at home and its credibility among its neighbors.
A visitor to Baghdad hears words that would not have been heard a few years ago. A politician who fiercely opposed Saddam Hussein now concedes: “Saddam squandered enormous wealth on wars and their aftermath. But he was not a thief, in the sense that he never reached into public funds to build a personal fortune.”The politician added: “Abdul-Karim Qasim was poor when he was executed by the first Baath regime in 1963. He did not even own an apartment. President Abdul Salam Arif was never accused of encroaching on public money or of illicit enrichment. As for his brother, President Abdul Rahman Arif, he received assistance from the very man who overthrew him, Saddam, to cope with daily life and retirement.”One sentence, heavy with implication, stayed with me: “Are the looters of public money after the American invasion not ashamed before Qasim, Saddam and the two Arifs, who never stretched out their hands to seize public funds?”
Baghdad is also busy with what a number of its politicians call a transitional phase in the Middle East, following the hurricane that swept the region and raised many questions.
I asked him to explain the hurricane. He replied that, for now, it is enough to note that Iran is holding funeral rites for Ali Khamenei, who led it after the passing of the founding supreme leader. Khamenei was killed in an Israeli strike at the beginning of the American-Israeli war against Iran — no small matter. The war was then stopped by the force of the memorandum of understanding that Iran concluded with the US. This will open the door to arduous negotiations over Iran’s nuclear program and other issues. Nor can we ignore that Iran signed an agreement with an America led by the man who did what his predecessors had avoided: killing Gen. Qassem Soleimani and launching a war against Iran. He believes Iran will undergo a transitional phase whose contours and whose real balance of power are difficult to predict. He said he has information indicating that Mojtaba Khamenei has the capacity to carry out the major duties entrusted to the supreme leader, even though his health keeps him away from day-to-day issues. He noted that Mojtaba had suffered a serious knee injury requiring three surgeries and a facial wound whose marks reached his lips. In the early period, he resisted his doctors’ advice to undergo cosmetic surgery, which may explain — in this man’s reading — his public absence.
The hurricane’s remaining chapters are evident. Bashar Assad had expected to reside in the presidential palace forever. He now resides in his Russian exile. Syria was hit by the hurricane and now finds itself in the care of President Ahmad Al-Sharaa. The hurricane’s impact is visible in Lebanon and Gaza — the former is without Hassan Nasrallah, the latter without Yahya Sinwar.
The Iraqi street has embraced the battle the government has launched against corruption and the corrupt. Similar questions echo through conversations, searching for answers. What Iran will we see in the coming phase? Was Mojtaba forced to drink the poison of the memorandum of understanding to stave off economic collapse, while awaiting the arrival of billions of dollars with which to resume the policies of his father’s era? Can the countries of the region accept a new Iranian general named the Strait of Hormuz, accompanied by the “proxies?” And can they blunt the significance of the strait and find alternatives, however costly? Will Iraq succeed in confining weapons to the hands of legitimate forces, avoiding a repeat of the actions undertaken from its territory by certain factions — actions that damaged its relations with the Gulf Cooperation Council states?
In Prime Minister Al-Zaidi’s office, one hears categorical statements. No tolerance for corruption and no retreat from confining weapons to the state. His first foreign visit will be to Washington. Iraq wants partnerships and seeks cooperation. It accepts neither tutelage nor the transformation of its territory into an arena for others’ conflicts. It wants the best cooperative relations with Turkiye, Iran and the GCC states. Iraq’s Arab identity runs deep and cannot be erased. It is clear that the war on corruption is the test that must be passed if the effort to confine weapons to the state is to succeed and if Iraq is to go back to being a normal state in this tumultuous region.

'Nearly 400,000,000 Christians Worldwide Face Persecution or Violence': Extremist Persecution of Christians, March 2026
Raymond Ibrahim/Gatestone Institute/July 5, 2026
https://eliasbejjaninews.com/2026/07/155715/
Boko Haram still seeks to impose strict sharia law across Nigeria and routinely targets Christians. — Morning Star News, April 2, 2026, Nigeria.
The ADF's [Allied Democratic Forces] "purpose is to gain a foothold in the nation, establish Sharia law in areas it controls, and kill non-Muslims." — International Christian Concern, March 13, 2026, Democratic Republic of Congo.
"Only Muslims are the real living human beings; all non-Muslims are corpses ... whoever is not a Muslim is equivalent to a dead body." — Musa Baluku, leader of the ADF, International Christian Concern, March 13, 2026, Democratic Republic of Congo.
On March 26, police in Lahore's Sadhoki Kahna Nau area, tortured to death 42-year-old Christian Iftikhar Masih while in custody. Police arrested Iftikhar on fabricated kidnapping charges, demanded a 200,000 Pakistani rupee ($720) bribe for his release, and later claimed he committed suicide by hanging. — Morning Star News, April 7, 2026, Pakistan.
"'Abraham,' a member of the Coptic community... said the main goal of these kidnappings 'is to reduce the Christian population and promote Islam by pretending that the woman chose Islam on her own free will.... They end up as Muslim wives by force.' He is not aware of any prosecutions against the kidnappers. 'Authorities are complicit, because they often do very little or nothing.'" — International Christian Concern, March 18, 2026, Egypt.
On March 25, Pakistan's Federal Constitutional Court ruled that 13-year-old Christian girl Maria Shahbaz must remain with the Muslim man who abducted and forcibly converted her. Despite her parent's testimony, the court declared Maria was of "mature age," accepted her conversion to Islam as genuine, and ruled that her marriage is valid under Islamic law. Maria's father, Shahbaz Masih, told the court she was only 12 or 13 when taken and presented documents to prove her age. The judges rejected the documents, claiming her appearance suggested she was older. The court stated that in Islam, conversion requires only a declaration of faith. — International Christian Concern, April 6, 2026, Pakistan.
"Nearly 400 million Christians worldwide face persecution or violence..." — Archbishop Ettore Balestrero, Permanent Observer of the Holy See to the United Nations, March 3, 2026.
"Msgr. Balestrero also warned that persecution does not always take the overt and bloody form of murder, attacks, or physical violence. There are also 'more subtle and often silent forms of persecution,' such as gradual marginalization or exclusion from social and professional life, 'even in traditionally Christian countries.... through which legal norms and administrative practices restrict or, in effect, nullify the legally recognized rights of the predominantly Christian population, even in some parts of Europe....' The oppression of Christians does not stem solely from violent mobs or extremist groups, but also from institutional mechanisms that undermine, in practice, the very rights that are officially declared protected." — fsspx.news, March 10, 2026.
On March 24, Suhail Khojah Siddiqi of Newark, California, broke into Our Lady of Mount Carmel Catholic Church in Mill Valley
The following are among the murders and abuses Muslims inflicted on Christians throughout the month of March 2026.
The Muslim Slaughter of Christians
Nigeria: According to a March 17 report, suspected Fulani herdsmen attacked Dorowa Maitozo village in Kaduna State. The Muslim bandits killed Rev. Joshua Ajiya, pastor of the Evangelical Reformed Church of Christ, who had served the congregation for only two months. Dozens of other Christians were kidnapped in the nighttime attack.
On March 11, suspected Fulani terrorists attacked Oyatedo village in Kwara State. They killed John Omoniyi Ajise, brother of a prominent pastor, and abducted his wife and four other Christians.
On March 29, armed gunmen attacked the predominantly Christian Angwan Rukuba area (Gari Ya Waye community) in Jos, Plateau State, Nigeria.
The attackers shot indiscriminately, killing at least 28 people, including men, women, and children. Survivor Samson Glabe said: "Armed gunmen invaded the area at about 8 p.m. and shot indiscriminately at anyone they sighted." Gospel singer Arin Izere added: "Within seconds... we heard gunshots, they were shooting at anyone in sight. Many have been killed." The attack occurred in a densely populated Christian area of Jos.
On Palm Sunday, March 30, armed Fulani militia and Boko Haram-linked gunmen carried out coordinated attacks on Christian communities in Plateau and Kaduna states. In Ungwan Rukuba, Jos North LGA (Plateau State), gunmen killed at least 30 Christians. Additional attacks in nearby areas of Plateau State killed at least 10 more. In Kagarko County, Kaduna State, Fulani opened fire indiscriminately inside the celebratory hall and killed 13 Christians. Community leader Musa Adamu said:
"The attackers, who we know to be Fulani herdsmen, invaded our community in large numbers. They were armed with deadly weapons which they used in shooting indiscriminately at our people inside the hall where the wedding reception was held; 13 community members who are Christians were killed."
Several others were injured. The attacks occurred during Holy Week, continuing a pattern of targeting Christians in the region.
Late at night on March 30, Boko Haram terrorists attacked Kautikari, a predominantly Christian village in Chibok County, where they killed at least 10 Christians. Survivor Hauwa Williams cried: "Chibok is bleeding, we're crying. We need help. For how long are we going to suffer this persecution?"
One resident, Rejoice Pindar, said: "Every day, innocent people in Kautikari... are being killed in Boko Haram attacks."
Another, Elizabeth Bassey, said: "God, please show us mercy. Your children are being killed every day and night, and houses are being burnt to ashes."
Boko Haram still seeks to impose strict sharia law across Nigeria and routinely targets Christians.
Democratic Republic of Congo: According to a March 13 report, "Christians are being attacked, murdered, and abducted ... every week, and the violence appears to be worse than ever."
"Between July 1, 2024, and July 1, 2025... nearly 400 Christians were murdered in the DRC... rebel militias have gained vast influence over the Christian-majority nation due to extremist Islamist ideologies.... Two prominent terrorist organizations are responsible for the deaths of hundreds of Christians in 2025 alone: the Allied Democratic Forces (ADF) and the M23 rebel group."
The ADF's "purpose is to gain a foothold in the nation, establish Sharia law in areas it controls, and kill non-Muslims." It also "imposes religious constraints: studying the Quran and converting to Islam are compulsory, with violent retribution for noncompliance."
The leader of the ADF, Musa Baluku, stated:
"Only Muslims are the real living human beings; all non-Muslims are corpses ... whoever is not a Muslim is equivalent to a dead body."
According to the report, "the ADF claims it has killed more than 700 Christians since Christmas 2024.... The terrorists are abducting and killing civilians with alarming frequency, and abusing women and girls as sexual slaves." Women are also subjected to forced "marriages" to ADF jihadists. Those who resist are killed. The group targets hospitals, Christian churches, and work sites for killings and abductions. More examples:
"On Nov. 15, ADF militants attacked a medical center in Byambwe and killed 18 patients as they lay in their hospital beds. After looting hospital supplies, they set the facility, along with nearby homes, on fire, killing an additional two individuals.... On Aug. 13, ADF fighters stole robes from a Christian church and posed as members of the clergy. The fighters infiltrated the area of Mayi Moya, where they deceived locals into believing they were Christ followers until they began abducting citizens. Eight individuals were taken."
Pakistan: On March 4, 2026, Muslims tortured to death 21-year-old Christian farmworker Marcus Masih at a cattle farm owned by Muhammad Mohsin Kharal and Muhammad Basharat Kharal. Afterwards, Basharat called the victim's brother, Dilshad Masih, saying his sibling had committed suicide by hanging himself from the ceiling of a cattle shed. "Two relatives and I immediately," Dilshad said, "went to their village, where we saw Marcus's body hanging from the ceiling. They told us they had no idea why he would take his own life." Continues the brother:
"When the body was returned to us, we saw severe bruises and burn marks. That is when we realized Marcus had been tortured.... We were in deep shock and grief and did not question them.... The police have assured us they will arrest the accused... But influential people often evade accountability. We are poor Christians. We can only hope for justice."
Asher Adeel, a Sargodha-based human rights advocate, adds: "The visible injuries suggest severe torture. If the allegations are true, the accused not only killed him but attempted to disguise the crime as suicide and coerced the family into signing blank papers."
Such cases are common, says the report, especially
"in rural Pakistan, where impoverished Christians often work in low-paid, informal sectors under influential landowners.... In May, Christian laborer Kashif Masih was tortured to death by a group of Muslims, including a former police officer, over an unproven theft allegation.... Similarly, in March 2025, Christian factory worker Waqas Masih was severely injured after a Muslim coworker slit his throat over accusations of blasphemy. The attacker claimed that Masih had touched an Islamic textbook 'with unclean hands'... In February 2025, Christian laborer Wasif George was abducted by Muslim landowners, humiliated and paraded on a donkey after being accused of stealing wood. Images and videos of the assault circulated widely on social media, prompting condemnation but limited legal accountability. On June 6, 2024, 18-year-old Catholic worker Waqas Salamat died after being tortured by his Muslim employer and others for allegedly leaving his job without permission. His family said he was subjected to hours of electric shocks, resulting in fatal injuries."
Separately, on March 26, police in Lahore's Sadhoki Kahna Nau area, tortured to death 42-year-old Christian Iftikhar Masih while in custody. Police arrested Iftikhar on fabricated kidnapping charges, demanded a 200,000 Pakistani rupee ($720) bribe for his release, and later claimed he committed suicide by hanging. His brother, Riyasat Masih, said:
"There were marks on several parts of his body. The police refused to acknowledge any wrongdoing and continued to insist it was suicide.... The allegation appears to have been fabricated to extort money" from vulnerable religious minorities.
Finally, according to a March 3 report, Haider Ali, a Muslim man, shot dead his co-worker, 29-year-old Christian sanitary worker Naveed Masih, inside the Punjab Assembly building while he was on duty. Naveed was lured to the third-floor office under the pretext of cleaning where he was murdered. Last reported, motive was unknown. Naveed leaves behind his pregnant wife and young daughter.
Muslim Abduction, Rape, and Forced Conversion of Christian Girls
Egypt: A March 18 report on the plight of Christian women in Egypt extensively quotes from the work of Coptic Solidarity, including by quoting its Director of Advocacy, Lindsay Rodriguez, who said, "The problem is persistent and significant, but undercounted."
According to the report,
"Victims are often 'targeted due to being perceived as more vulnerable,' Rodriguez said. Such vulnerability could be due to family financial troubles or mental or physical health issues.
"One recent such case involved a 17-year-old Coptic girl with intellectual impairment who, after her kidnapping, appeared on video in Islamic dress with a woman in the background prompting her to denounce her Christian family as infidels.
"Rodriguez said that deception, grooming, and social media manipulation are the most common kidnapping methods....
"It is also common practice that, following the abduction, accomplices will take pictures of the girl engaged in coerced sexual activity. Such photos are kept as evidence of the girl's 'misbehavior' to blackmail her into changing her religion. In this way, she will come to the Islamic faith.
"In some cases, official documents are changed as soon as the day after the kidnapping to show that the girl has officially 'converted' to Islam.
"'These videos of women claiming to have converted of their own free will and married for love while wearing a head covering have no validity,' Rodriguez said. 'It's an extremely inept and poor attempt to legitimize coerced actions.'
"'Abraham,' a member of the Coptic community who now lives abroad but often goes back to Egypt, said the main goal of these kidnappings 'is to reduce the Christian population and promote Islam by pretending that the woman chose Islam on her own free will.'
"'They end up as Muslim wives by force,' Abraham said of the kidnapping victims. He is not aware of any prosecutions against the kidnappers. 'Authorities are complicit, because they often do very little or nothing,' he added."
Pakistan: On March 25, Pakistan's Federal Constitutional Court ruled that 13-year-old Christian girl Maria Shahbaz must remain with the Muslim man who abducted and forcibly converted her. Despite her parent's testimony, the court declared Maria was of "mature age," accepted her conversion to Islam as genuine, and ruled that her marriage is valid under Islamic law. Maria's father, Shahbaz Masih, told the court she was only 12 or 13 when taken and presented documents to prove her age. The judges rejected the documents, claiming her appearance suggested she was older. The court stated that in Islam, conversion requires only a declaration of faith. Maria was abducted from her home in July 2025, at which point she was forced to convert, and married against her will.
Muslim Attacks on Christian Churches
United States: On March 24, Suhail Khojah Siddiqi of Newark, California, broke into Our Lady of Mount Carmel Catholic Church in Mill Valley and vandalized it. He smashed a century-old statue of Jesus and knocked a portrait of Mary face-down on the floor. When police arrived, they found Siddiqi sitting inside the church "apparently reading the Quran."
He was arrested on suspicion of burglary, vandalism of a place of worship, and hate crime.
Central African Republic: According to a March 2 report, unknown persons set fire to the Apostolic Church in PK4, Bangui, around 8:30 p.m. The blaze completely destroyed the building, cables, equipment, and other materials. The church was in a neighborhood with no electricity that night. Muslim groups (especially ex-Séléka factions with jihadist ties) have repeatedly attacked Christian communities and churches in Bangui and elsewhere in the Central African Republic.
Indonesia: On March 1, dozens of Muslims backed by police and a sub-district official in Kulim Jaya village, forced a halt to roof repairs on the Batak Protestant Christian Church. At least 20 Muslims forcefully entered the church building while repairs were underway. They demanded that the church first obtain prior approval from local Muslims before any repairs could proceed. A video shows one Muslim opponent saying they were not forbidding worship but that without permission for repairs, residents would oppose the church. A Christian woman replied: "We're repairing the roof because our church is leaking. If it's not repaired, where will we worship?"
Church Pastor Faber Manurung stated: "The church's planks were rotten and crumbling, the roof leaking, and it was completely unsuitable and uncomfortable for worship." The church is officially registered with the Indonesian Ministry of Religious Affairs and has had all legal documents since its construction in 1995. Residents have blocked renovation attempts since 2010. The Central Leadership Council of the Indonesian Christian Youth Movement condemned the action:
"We regret that these actions lead to coercion and intimidation of church members who are simply exercising their right to worship according to their religious beliefs."
Separately, on March 20, the Interfaith Harmony Forum in Medan, North Sumatra, delayed recommending a building permit for Christ the Answer Tabernacle Pentecostal Church, prolonging the congregation's nine-year battle for legitimacy. A prominent writer in Surabaya explained the deeper issue:
"Islam considers itself the most perfect religion, and to achieve this ideal, it develops jihad that strives to create a homogeneous reality and deny heterogeneity. However, homogeneity is impossible. Thus, Muslims only strive to serve the utopian dogma without recognizing the inevitability of heterogeneity."
The church has faced repeated community resistance despite owning the land since 2017 and submitting all required documents.
General Muslim Persecution of Christians
Speaking in Geneva on March 3, Archbishop Ettore Balestrero, permanent observer of the Holy See to the United Nations, said in Geneva that "Nearly 400 million Christians worldwide face persecution or violence, making them the most persecuted religious community in the world" — roughly one in seven Christians. "Almost 5,000 Christians were killed for their faith in 2025," which equates to an average of 13 deaths per day. He stated that Christians face "physical violence, subjugation, false detention, the expropriation of their property, enslavement, forced exile, and even murder because of their religious beliefs." The archbishop noted that in Europe alone, 760 anti-Christian hate crimes were recorded in 2024, and the Observatory on Intolerance and Discrimination against Christians in Europe documented 2,211 violent incidents affecting Christians that year. Balestrero further emphasized that "those who died played the dual role of being martyrs for their faith... and victims of outrageous human rights violations."
"Msgr. Balestrero also warned that persecution does not always take the overt and bloody form of murder, attacks, or physical violence. There are also 'more subtle and often silent forms of persecution,' such as gradual marginalization or exclusion from social and professional life, 'even in traditionally Christian countries.'"
"[T]his more subtle persecution manifests itself through less visible restrictions and limitations, 'through which legal norms and administrative practices restrict or, in effect, nullify the legally recognized rights of the predominantly Christian population, even in some parts of Europe.'"
"This denunciation underscores that the oppression of Christians does not stem solely from violent mobs or extremist groups, but also from institutional mechanisms that undermine, in practice, the very rights that are officially declared protected."
Uganda: On March 11, Muslim husband Mukiibi Rajabu stormed into a Bible study at Christ the King Church and severely beat his wife, Hajati Kyakuwa Kamiyati (45), a recent Christian convert. Mukiibi attacked her with a stick and knife while Christians were singing praise songs. He inflicted multiple serious wounds, including a cut on her face, a fractured hand, and a suspected spinal cord injury. She was left bleeding and unconscious. The attack occurred after Rajabu learned that his wife — who had made the Islamic pilgrimage to Mecca the previous year — had converted to Christianity two months earlier and was secretly attending church while he was away working as a truck driver. From her hospital bed, the wife said:
"When I gave my life to Jesus, I was told to keep going to church so I could learn how to live as a new believer."
Pakistan: According to a March 3 report, Muslim employer Muhammad Boota converted a 14-year-old Christian boy, Jamil Masih, to Islam after employing him for over three years at his cattle farm without paying wages. When Jamil's mother, Nazia Bibi, rushed to the farm after hearing of the conversion attempt, the boy initially denied it and returned home with her. Within half an hour, Muhammad arrived with several men. While Nazia spoke with Muhammad, the men drove away with Jamil. Later that evening, news spread that Jamil had converted to Islam. When family members demanded his return, Muhammad refused, declaring: "He has been converted to Islam. He is ours now, not yours." Nazia Bibi said through tears:
"Muhammad Boota has hidden my son somewhere. I know Jamil is with him.... We did not know that our son would be converted to Islam."
The family filed a complaint, but police took no immediate action. This case once again highlights the extreme vulnerability of poor Christian minors working for Muslim employers in rural Pakistan, where forced conversions of children are a recurring pattern. At 14 years old, Jamil is legally a minor and cannot consent to such a life-changing decision without parental involvement. Nazia Bibi's final plea:
"Please help me bring my child back to me."
Separately, according to a March 19 report, on an unspecified date in 2026, authorities failed to correct the religious identity of a Christian family in the national database despite a court order. Naseem Bibi and her four children remain officially registered as Muslims because of an error linked to the records of her late husband, who was listed as "Muhammad Iqbal Sohail" on his death certificate. Bibi said:
"After my husband passed away in August 2016, we were shocked to see that his religion was recorded as Islam... We pleaded that we are practicing Christians and want our identity to reflect that."
In October 2023, a court ordered the National Database and Registration Authority to correct the records. "They removed 'Muhammad' from my sons' names," said Bibi, "but our religion is still recorded as Islam." The family faced social pressure and threats of being treated as apostates. They were forced to leave their home in Haveli Lakha and move to Lahore. The error has also caused job losses and livelihood problems.
Nigeria: According to a March 13 report, Fulani Christians explicitly reject any link to and denounce the violence committed by Fulani Muslims against Christians. Rev. Buba Aliyu, chairman of the Fulani Christian Association of Nigeria (FCAN), said:
"The Fulani Christian Association of Nigeria is a fellowship of Fulani believers in Christ. We are not part of Miyetti Allah, and we do not support violence. Our faith teaches us peace and respect for human life."
Because Christian Fulani are seen as apostates from Islam, they themselves are under attack, said Aliyu. The significance of these revelations—that there is a distinct community of Fulani Christians who condemn the killings and themselves suffer for converting from Islam—directly undermines claims that the violence is merely "farmer-herder clashes" with no religious dimension. Instead, it points to Islam as the key factor driving some Fulani—Muslims—to target Christians, as Christian Fulani do not participate in these attacks and are themselves threatened by extremists for leaving Islam.
Separately, on March 5, Rev. Ezekiel Dachomo, regional chairman of the Church of Christ in Nations in Plateau State's Barkin Ladi, declared he will not flee despite ongoing death threats from Islamic extremists:
"I've been offered asylum in Australia, Austria and other countries, but I said no. I'm going nowhere. I stand with them [persecuted Christians]."
The threats intensified after Dachomo spoke at a funeral for slain Christians:
"I respect Allah, I respect the people of Allah, but when I see dead bodies killed by the followers of Allah, what do you want me to say? I challenge Allah because his followers are killing my people. I would be stupid and cowardly to kill someone because he insults Jesus; Jesus is a supernatural being, He can defend himself."
Discussing Muslim reactions to Dachomo's observations, Markus Malum, a religious freedom advocate, said:
"We note with dismay the attacks and threats on Rev. Ezekiel Dachomo by Muslim leaders and groups over a statement he made while conducting yet another mass burial for Christians killed in Barkin Ladi recently. It will be recalled that some Christians were slaughtered by Islamic extremists who reportedly shouted 'Allahu Akbar,' meaning Allah is the greatest, while attacking Christians in Barkin Ladi area of Plateau state."
Evangelist Peter Otene said:
"What if Rev. Ezekiel Dachomo never existed in a time like this, what would have been the fate of many Christians, especially those in northern Nigeria who daily face pressure, intimidation and persecution for their faith? In moments when many chose silence, his voice chose courage; in seasons when fear tried to dominate, he decided to stand for the faith....Whether people agree with him or not, one thing is clear: when a generation is under pressure, God raises a voice that cannot be ignored. The real question is not just about Rev. Ezekiel Dachom, it is that if voices like his disappear, who will stand for the faith tomorrow?
Nigeria recorded 3,490 Christian deaths for faith-related reasons from Oct. 2024 to Sept. 2025 — 72% of the global total.
*Raymond Ibrahim, author of Defenders of the West, Sword and Scimitar, Crucified Again, and The Al Qaeda Reader, is the Distinguished Senior Shillman Fellow at the Gatestone Institute and the Judith Rosen Friedman Fellow at the Middle East Forum.
*About this Series
While not all, or even most, Muslims are involved, persecution of Christians by extremists is growing. The report posits that such persecution is not random but rather systematic, and takes place irrespective of language, ethnicity, or location. It includes incidents that take place during, or are reported on, any given month.
https://www.gatestoneinstitute.org/22628/persecution-of-christians-march
*Follow Raymond Ibrahim on X (formerly Twitter) and Facebook
© 2026 Gatestone Institute. All rights reserved. The articles printed here do not necessarily reflect the views of the Editors or of Gatestone Institute. No part of the Gatestone website or any of its contents may be reproduced, copied or modified, without the prior written consent of Gatestone Institute.

The Real Reason the Palestinians Are Fighting to Save UNRWA
Khaled Abu Toameh/Gatestone Institute/July 06/2026
Unlike the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), which seeks durable solutions by resettling refugees and helping them rebuild their lives, UNRWA has institutionalized refugee status across generations.
Instead of solving the refugee problem, UNRWA's function is to perpetuate it.
Many Palestinians fled the country during the 1948 war, which five Arab armies waged on Israel and lost, then were refused entry back into Israel because they had not been loyal. For Palestinians, UNRWA has become the international symbol of their demand that the remaining Palestinian refugees of 1948 and millions of their descendants be allowed to settle inside Israel. Does anyone think that this time they would be more loyal?
The Palestinian insistence on the unrealistic "right of return" therefore remains one of the principal obstacles to any peace agreement.
According to a detailed report published by the Israel Defense Forces, at least 1,462 of UNRWA's 12,521 employees in the Gaza Strip... are members of Hamas, Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ), or other terrorist organizations.
The report further states that Hamas systematically exploited UNRWA facilities by constructing terror tunnels beneath schools, storing weapons, establishing command centers, and launching rockets from areas adjacent to UN facilities.
Instead of helping Palestinians move beyond a perpetual claim to refugee status, UNRWA appears committed to sustaining the conflict's central illusion: that Israel will one day absorb millions of Palestinians and thereby cease to exist as a Jewish state.
The "Board of Peace" is therefore correct in arguing that UNRWA has no place in the future Gaza Strip.
If Arab leaders genuinely care about the welfare of their Palestinian brethren, they should insist that Hamas lay down its weapons and relinquish control of the Gaza Strip.
The Trump Administration should insist that any future arrangement for Gaza exclude UNRWA and replace it with mechanisms that promote rehabilitation rather than dependency.
Most importantly, it is time for Palestinian leaders to abandon the fantasy of the "right of return." These leaders are lying to their own people by telling them that one day they will return to their families' former homes inside Israel.
So long as UNRWA continues to institutionalize that dream, it will remain part of the problem rather than part of the solution.
If the goal is a different future for the Gaza Strip – one based on reconstruction, coexistence, and stability rather than perpetual conflict – then eliminating UNRWA and replacing it with a new institution – one not obstructed by past conflicts of interest – is not only justified. It is long overdue.
According to a detailed report published by the Israel Defense Forces, at least 1,462 of UNRWA's 12,521 employees in the Gaza Strip are members of Hamas, Palestinian Islamic Jihad, or other terrorist organizations. The report further states that Hamas systematically exploited UNRWA facilities by constructing terror tunnels beneath schools, storing weapons, establishing command centers, and launching rockets from areas adjacent to UN facilities.
The furious Palestinian reaction to the recent declaration by the so-called "Board of Peace" -- that the United Nations Relief and Work Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA) "has no place in the new Gaza Strip" -- has once again exposed a fundamental truth that many in the international community continue to ignore: for the Palestinians, UNRWA is not just a humanitarian agency. It is a political institution that keeps alive the dream of the so-called "right of return" -- a demand that, by overwhelming Israel's population of roughly 10 million with millions of supposed "refugees" -- would effectively bring about the end of Israel as the nation-state of the Jewish people.
In announcing that "UNRWA has no place in the new Gaza... [w]e are turning the page on the complex of perpetual aid dependency and conflict. The people of Gaza deserve better," the "Board of Peace" touched on one of the most sensitive issues in Palestinian politics.
The immediate response from the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO), Hamas, and various Palestinian organizations made clear that they are not primarily concerned about humanitarian services. They are evidently worried about losing the UN agency they regard as the guardian of the "right of return."
Ahmed Abu Holi, a member of the PLO Executive Committee and head of its Department of Refugee Affairs, denounced the "Board of Peace" for allegedly attempting to "liquidate the Palestinian refugee issue." He stressed that UNRWA "embodies the moral responsibility and strict legal obligation of the international community towards the rights of refugees, leading to their return [to Israel] and compensation."
Abu Holi warned that "any attack on UNRWA or attempt to dismantle it constitutes a direct assault on Palestinian national identity... and an undermining of the right of return."
Even more revealing was his threat that Palestinian refugees "will strongly resist" any attempt to dismantle the agency.
The Speaker of the Palestinian National Council, Rouhi Fattouh, echoed the same message:
"UNRWA... represents the legal and historical witness to the Nakba ['catastrophe,' the term Palestinians use to describe the establishment of Israel in 1948]... and embodies the international commitment to the rights of refugees until their right to return and compensation is implemented."
Ending UNRWA, according to Fattouh, would amount to eliminating "the legal status of Palestinian refugees."
Ahmed Majdalani, another PLO Executive Committee member, similarly declared that the "Board of Peace" statement "touches the core of the Palestinian issue, represented by the issue of the refugees and the right of return."
"The right of return," he added, "is a fundamental principle of the Palestinian people that no one... can tamper with."
Hamas, too, rushed to defend UNRWA.
The Iran-backed terrorist group condemned the "Board of Peace" for declaring that there is "no place" for UNRWA in Gaza and warned against "stopping the funding of the agency or reducing its mandate or replacing it," and called on the international community to ensure "the continuation of the agency's operations... until our people obtain their legitimate rights."
Those "legitimate rights," according to Hamas and the PLO, include the "right of return."
These statements remove any doubt about why Palestinian leaders are fighting hard to preserve UNRWA.
The issue is not schools, food distribution, or medical clinics. The issue is politics.
Unlike the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), which seeks durable solutions by resettling refugees and helping them rebuild their lives, UNRWA has institutionalized refugee status across generations.
More than seven decades after the 1948 war, the number of registered Palestinian refugees has expanded from roughly 700,000 to several million, because descendants continue to inherit refugee status.
Instead of solving the refugee problem, UNRWA's function is to perpetuate it.
Many Palestinians fled the country during the 1948 war, which five Arab armies waged on Israel and lost, then were refused entry back into Israel because they had not been loyal. For Palestinians, UNRWA has become the international symbol of their demand that the remaining Palestinian refugees of 1948 and millions of their descendants be allowed to settle inside Israel. Does anyone think that this time they would be more loyal? 1
Such a scenario would fundamentally alter Israel's demographic character, transforming the world's only Jewish state into one with a Muslim Arab majority. No Israeli government – left, right or center – is ever likely to agree to such national suicide.
The Palestinian insistence on the unrealistic "right of return" therefore remains one of the principal obstacles to any peace agreement.
Equally troubling are the mounting revelations concerning UNRWA's infiltration by terrorist organizations in the Gaza Strip.
According to a detailed report published by the Israel Defense Forces, at least 1,462 of UNRWA's 12,521 employees in the Gaza Strip – approximately 12 percent – are members of Hamas, Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ), or other terrorist organizations.
Among UNRWA's 546 school principals and deputy principals, at least 80 were identified as members of designated terrorist organizations, including Hamas's military wing.
The report further states that Hamas systematically exploited UNRWA facilities by constructing terror tunnels beneath schools, storing weapons, establishing command centers, and launching rockets from areas adjacent to UN facilities.
It also reveals that Hamas operated an advanced server data center for its central intelligence office underneath UNRWA's Gaza headquarters while drawing electricity from the UN facility. The report continues:
"During the military operation to expose the terror infrastructure in UNRWA's compound, large quantities of weapons were found inside its buildings, including explosive drones, grenades, sniper rifles, rockets, mortar bombs and RPG launchers. Intelligence and documents discovered at the site confirmed that the offices had in fact also been used by Hamas terrorists. In addition, bodies of Hamas and PIJ terrorists were found on the premises."
The findings additionally state that UNRWA employees actively participated in the October 7, 2023 massacre in Israel, including in the abduction of Israelis and foreign nationals. One of the UNRWA employees, Faisal Ali Mussalem Al-Naami, was identified in Israeli territory that day via surveillance cameras and cellular phone activity, and he took part in kidnapping a man from Kibbutz Be'eri. Al-Naami was filmed in the kibbutz, loading the dead body of an Israeli into an SUV to abduct it.
Against this backdrop, UNRWA's recent announcement that it dismissed 70 employees in Gaza because of concerns regarding their connections to terrorist organizations is a welcome, if overdue, step. The UN agency, however, insists that the dismissals "do not constitute in any way a validation of the claims made against them."
The decision itself, however, amounts to an acknowledgment that the problem exists.
If UNRWA believed there were absolutely no security concerns, there would have been no reason to terminate dozens of employees. The dismissals also raise an obvious question: if 70 employees were considered too risky to retain, what about the many others identified by Israeli intelligence?
Instead of helping Palestinians move beyond a perpetual claim to refugee status, UNRWA appears committed to sustaining the conflict's central illusion: that Israel will one day absorb millions of Palestinians and thereby cease to exist as a Jewish state.
The "Board of Peace" is therefore correct in arguing that UNRWA has no place in the future Gaza Strip.
Humanitarian assistance should certainly continue. The Palestinians of the Gaza Strip who are not involved in terrorism deserve reconstruction, economic development, functioning schools, hospitals, and normal lives. These responsibilities, however, should be assumed by the "Board of Peace" together with Arab states that have repeatedly declared their solidarity with the Palestinians but done nothing to help them.
For decades, Arab governments have proclaimed unwavering support for the Palestinian cause. If Arab leaders genuinely care about the welfare of their Palestinian brethren, they should insist that Hamas lay down its weapons and relinquish control of the Gaza Strip.
The Trump Administration should insist that any future arrangement for Gaza exclude UNRWA and replace it with mechanisms that promote rehabilitation rather than dependency.
Most importantly, it is time for Palestinian leaders to abandon the fantasy of the "right of return." These leaders are lying to their own people by telling them that one day they will return to their families' former homes inside Israel.
So long as UNRWA continues to institutionalize that dream, it will remain part of the problem rather than part of the solution.
The angry Palestinian response to the "Board of Peace" announcement demonstrates precisely why an urgent change is needed. UNRWA has become far more than a humanitarian agency. It has evolved into a political institution dedicated to preserving an unrealistic objective that ensures that the conflict will continue for generations to come.
If the goal is a different future for the Gaza Strip – one based on reconstruction, coexistence, and stability rather than perpetual conflict – then eliminating UNRWA and replacing it with a new institution – one not obstructed by past conflicts of interest – is not only justified. It is long overdue.
**Khaled Abu Toameh is an award-winning journalist based in Jerusalem.
1 The Arabs who chose to stay in 1948 and their descendants, known today as Arab Israelis, now number about 2 million, or 20% of Israel's population. They have the same rights as any Jewish citizen and are allowed to hold any position, whether as a judge on Israel's Supreme Court, a member of parliament, a university professor (such as here, here and here), or in the fields of banking, business and medicine. Although they are not required to serve in Israel's military, many often choose to.
**Follow Khaled Abu Toameh on X (formerly Twitter)
© 2026 Gatestone Institute. All rights reserved. The articles printed here do not necessarily reflect the views of the Editors or of Gatestone Institute.

1,000 days of carnage in Gaza
Chris Doyle/Arab News/July 06, 2026
Do you know anyone who seriously imagined that Israel’s onslaught in Gaza that recommenced on Oct. 7, 2023, would last 1,000 days? That was yet another grim milestone passed last week and the carnage continues unabated. No doubt the three-year anniversary will pass this October.
The level of destruction is beyond imagination. Was there any type of building off-limits to Israeli bombardment? The result is an estimated 61 million tonnes of rubble. By October 2025, the UN determined that 81 percent of all structures had been destroyed or damaged. Most Gazans now have only tents for shelter and, although they barely have enough water to drink, they fear the rain because it will flood their makeshift homes.
Israel has brought the health system to its knees. It committed what is known as “scholasticide” by systematically bombing schools. Not one university remains. Even mosques and churches have been targeted. Three-quarters of the road network has been put beyond use.
The human toll remains contested in a macabre back and forth between factions. The official toll may be 73,000 killed, but the real figure is clearly much higher, as thousands of bodies still lie under the rubble. Distinguished medical journal The Lancet found that more than 3 million life-years had been lost by the end of July 2025.
This is also a war on children. The recent UN Commission of Inquiry report reaffirmed that Israel is perpetrating genocide and added that it was deliberately targeting children. Israeli forces have also destroyed neonatal and maternity care centers. A survey in June 2025 found that 10,000 Palestinian children had suffered from hearing loss.
Among the most jaw-dropping stats is that, out of the 2.1 million Palestinians in Gaza, 1.8 million, maybe even more, remain displaced.
Famine and starvation have been used deliberately and openly as a weapon of war. The Israeli government twice announced a complete ban on the entry of food, water, fuel, medicines and other products into Gaza. Famine was formally confirmed in August 2025. This was the first famine ever declared in the Middle East — with more than half a million people trapped in starvation conditions.
These are the measurable and visible consequences. Those of us who have been in war zones know the distant, almost vacant, look of traumatized children. Yet this is a war in which the civilian population was already traumatized and Israel is dishing out a major top-up. A Gazan who was 18 years old in 2023 would have endured six major Israeli wars on the Strip. The adults are also affected. Imagine having to write your name on your body so that you could be identified if bombed.
International law has also been a victim. Rarely has it ever been so cruelly jettisoned. Major powers have not just ignored the atrocities perpetrated by Israel but all too frequently aided and abetted its crimes. Accountability has gone on a long sabbatical.
None of this is over. A ceasefire in name only continues to stalk Gaza. Far from the hope that the genocide would end, the likely prospect is that Israel will return to full-scale atrocities this summer. Israeli military sources state that it is a question of when, not if. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has an election to win and he knows killing Palestinians works for him electorally.
This is a war in which the civilian population was already traumatized and Israel is dishing out a major top-up. This is why Netanyahu has expanded Israel’s direct occupation. The Trump peace plan gave Israel direct control over 53 percent of Gaza. Netanyahu raised this unilaterally to 60 percent and then 70 percent. It was no shock when Eli Cohen, the energy minister, said last week that “our control of the territory will only continue to expand until we reach 100 percent.”
Reestablishing illegal settlements in Gaza is far from a distant dream for the Israeli right. Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich claims that plans for three settlements in northern Gaza await Netanyahu’s approval. Yet, for all the carnage and horror, what still shocks to the core is the manner in which so many of the world’s leaders, politicians and media institutions callously disregard the mountains of evidence of these crimes. How about the tech companies that have facilitated the scale of this genocide with advanced automated systems?
Other atrocities around the world take place away from the cameras, thereby failing to register with the global public. With Gaza, what Israel is doing is recorded and worse — all too often boasted about, including by Israeli ministers. Who can forget the Israeli soldiers dressing up in their victims’ clothing and posting snuff videos online? It is the sinister way the world is gaslit with claims such as that Israel does not target civilians and that it has the most moral army in the world, when the polar opposite is reported and recorded in such fine, gory detail. We let this happen. Our inability to prevent this carnage makes us all complicit in varying ways. Worst of all, there is no sense of “never again” with Gaza. It is more a case of who will be next and when.
**Chris Doyle is director of the Council for Arab-British Understanding in London. X: @Doylech

Selected Face Book & X tweets on 06 July
ME24 - Middle East 24
Netanyahu responded in an interview on Fox news today:
He pushed back on VP Vance's claim that the U.S. is the last country that still supports Israel and claimed he is getting a lot of support from India on his Facebook page
He claimed Trump and him see eye to eye 99% of the time but there are sometimes disagreements like in every relationship
He didn't push back on Trump's remark that he knows who is the boss and said the U.S. "is the leader of the free world and Israel is the only democracy in the Middle East"
He blamed the shift in perceptions of Israel among young Republicans to social media narratives that he claimed are being pushed by foreign countries

ME24 - Middle East 24
 Lebanon is witnessing a significant political shift as prominent Sunni MP Fouad Makhzoumi publicly endorsed the newly signed Israel-Lebanon agreement, describing it as a historic opportunity to advance peace, reinforce Lebanese sovereignty, and bring an end to Hezbollah's armed dominance. With increasing backing from both Sunni and Christian political forces, the deal now appears to command majority support across Lebanon's principal political blocs.

Hussain Abdul-Hussain
Lebanese President Aoun’s policy of allying with the United States is really causing Hezbollah and its partisans a lot of pain. They’re going on diatribes trying to vilify him.

Mossad Commentary
PRIME MINISTER NETANYAHU PUSHES BACK ON VANCE: ISRAEL HAS “MANY, MANY FRIENDS”
Prime Minister Netanyahu rejected VP JD Vance’s claim that President Trump is currently Israel’s only supportive world leader. “Trump is a great — the greatest friend we ever had in the White House — and I stand by that completely,” Netanyahu said, but added, “we have some other friends.”
Netanyahu pointed to India’s support and said many nations privately seek closer ties with Israel for defense, AI, and cyber expertise.“The relations are not quite as they appear, and we have many, many friends,” he said.

Open Source Intel
According to C14, new intelligence reports indicate that Iran’s Quds Force (part of the IRGC) has reportedly established a unit called Mukhtar. This unit is working with Mexican cartels and elements of the Iranian diaspora to plan assassinations of President Trump and other U.S.

MEMRI
Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif at Khamenei Funeral in Tehran: He Was a Great Scholar and Leader Whom Millions of Muslims Will Remember; Pakistan and Iran Will March Together under All Circumstances

charles chartouni
Happy Birthday America
Preamble of the Declaration of Independence
We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness. That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed. That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their Safety and Happiness. Prudence, indeed, will dictate that Governments long established should not be changed for light and transient causes; and accordingly all experience hath shown that mankind are more disposed to suffer, while evils are sufferable, than to right themselves by abolishing the forms to which they are accustomed. But when a long train of abuses and usurpations, pursuing invariably the same Object evinces a design to reduce them under absolute Despotism, it is their right, it is their duty, to throw off such Government, and to provide new Guards for their future security.

Hussain Abdul-Hussain
Christians of Lebanon are selling their real estate at a higher pace than Muslims. Christians are leaving Lebanon and their numbers dwindling. The only way to save them is peace with Israel and transforming Lebanon into Dubai. Everything else is a waste of time and further Islamization of public life and government

Mark R. Levin
FWIW, DON'T DO IT
The sale of our top F-35 jets and jet engines to the terrorist-supporting, Putin ally, and Iranian aligned Erdogan is simply indefensible. He is actively threatening Israel and Greece (which is also a NATO member). The Islamist thug has destroyed Turkish society. He has been sanctioned by our Congress for acquiring S-400 advanced mobile SAMs from Putin. Is this sale in violation of the sanctions? I checked this morning. Erdogan has not returned the SAMs to Russia.
Hamas is not disarmed (Phase II of peace plan) and Iran is still kicking and receiving billions. Why arm up Turkey, which has greater ambitions in the region, and add fuel to the fire? Its NATO membership pre-dates Erdogan and is no excuse for selling him any of this advanced weaponry. His intention is to re-create something akin to the Ottoman Empire. Let's not do what even Biden wouldn't do.