English LCCC Newsbulletin For Lebanese, Lebanese Related, Global News &
Editorials
For July 13/2026
Compiled & Prepared by: Elias Bejjani
#elias_bejjani_news
The Bulletin's Link on the lccc Site
https://eliasbejjaninews.com/aaaanewsfor2026/english.july13.26.htm
News Bulletin Achieves Since 2006
Click Here to enter the LCCC Arabic/English news bulletins Achieves since 2006
Click On The Below Link To Join Elias Bejjaninews whatsapp group
https://chat.whatsapp.com/FPF0N7lE5S484LNaSm0MjW
اضغط على الرابط في أعلى للإنضمام لكروب Eliasbejjaninews whatsapp group
Elias Bejjani/Click on the below link to subscribe to my youtube channel
الياس بجاني/اضغط على الرابط في أسفل للإشتراك في موقعي ع اليوتيوب
https://www.youtube.com/@eliasbejjani8036
Bible Quotations For today
Jesus teaches His Disciples the Holy Prayer: Our Father
Luke 11/01-04: "He was praying in a certain place, and after he
had finished, one of his disciples said to him, ‘Lord, teach us to pray, as John
taught his disciples.’ He said to them, ‘When you pray, say: Father, hallowed be
your name. Your kingdom come. Give us each day our daily bread. And forgive us
our sins, for we ourselves forgive everyone indebted to us. And do not bring us
to the time of trial.’"
Titles For Latest English LCCC Lebanese & Lebanese Related News & Editorials
published on 12-13 July/2026
Lebanon and the Free Lebanese People Mourn Senator Lindsey Graham Alongside All
Lovers of Peace and Freedom/Elias Bejjani/July 12/2026
Background/Sen. Lindsey Graham likely died after aorta
rupture, medical examiner says
Conscience in Faith Concepts: The Divine Voice Dwelling in Man/Elias Bejjani/July
12/2025
A Testimony of Faith: The Story of the Three Massabki Brothers and Enduring
Sacrifices/Elias Bejjani/July 10/2026
The Secrets of Graham's Final Days: What Did He Leave for Lebanon and the
Region?
Israeli Ambassador to Washington Reveals “Experimental Zones” Plan in Southern
Lebanon
Historic Beaufort Castle Under Fire… Israel Releases Photos and Alleges
Existence of Tunnels
Uncertainty surrounds pilot zones… and Israeli escalation in the south coincides
with preparations for Rome talks
One killed, two injured in attacks on southern Iran: State media
Lebanese official confirms country's participation in Rome talks with Israel
Rome talks on Lebanon face uncertainty amid US-Iran escalation
Escalation Continues in the South: Israeli Army Pursues Scorched Earth Policy by
Demolishing Homes in Majdal Zoun and Bint Jbeil
Israeli Incendiary Bombs Set Fire to Over 100 Dunams in Jdeidet Marjeyoun
Iran to Berri: Lebanon Will Be the First Item in Any Final Agreement with the
United States
Video link: Commentary by journalist Ali Hamada: Has the United States reached
the conclusion that the Iranian regime is beyond reform?
PM Salam condemns Iranian attacks on Gulf states and Jordan
Authorities uncover alleged scheme to secure Lebanese citizenship for two
children: The details
Lebanon's Aoun, Salam and Berri mourn former Qatari emir Sheikh Hamad bin
Khalifa Al Thani
The catch in Lebanon’s accord with Israel/Dr. Dania Koleilat Khatib/Arab
News/July 12, 2026
“Political Christianity” Saves all Lebanese/Elie Aoun/July 12/2026
Titles For The Latest English LCCC Miscellaneous Reports
And News published on 12-13 July/2026
Pivotal US Republican Senator Lindsey Graham dies at 71
Netanyahu says Israel lost 'one of its greatest friends' with death of Lindsey
Graham
Adviser to Iran’s supreme leader says Strait of Hormuz ‘more important’ than
nuclear bombs
Iran declares Strait of Hormuz closed, US military insists traffic flowing
US says it struck 140 Iranian military targets in new round of strikes
Trump says US hit Iran 'very hard' in latest attacks
Projectiles hit Iran's Gulf island of Qeshm: State media
Iran strikes Gulf neighbors after new US attacks
Kuwait says three border posts, offshore oil platform attacked
Oman summons Iranian ambassador, issues formal protest after attack: State media
Saudi FM, Arab counterparts condemn Iranian attacks
New Syrian parliament meets for first time in Damascus
Israeli attacks in Gaza kill six people, including a girl, medics say
Israel elections to be held on October 27, parliament says
Qatar's former leader Hamad bin Khalifa dies at 74
Iraqi prime minister to visit Washington on Monday; oil and gas deals expected
Sudan court sentences RSF leader to death in absentia
Titles For The Latest English LCCC analysis & editorials
from miscellaneous sources published
on 12-13 July/2026
After Khamenei, Nothing Has Changed - But It Might/Pierre Rehov/Gatestone
Institute/July 12, 2026
Question: Does God require Sabbath-keeping of Christians?/GotQuestions.org/July
12/2026
America’s realignment with allies, adversaries after Ankara summit/Raghida
Dergham/Al Arabiya English/July 12/2026
How fiber-optic drones are changing the face of modern warfare/Jonathan Gornall/Arab
News/July 12, 2026
Israel’s Netanyahu: architect of wars, master of survival/AFP/July 12, 2026
Iran’s efforts to impose a new reality in the Strait of Hormuz/Hassan
Al-Mustafa/Arab News/July 12, 2026
Latest English LCCC Lebanese & Lebanese
Related News & Editorials published on 12-13 July/2026
Lebanon and the Free Lebanese People Mourn Senator Lindsey Graham
Alongside All Lovers of Peace and Freedom
Elias Bejjani/July 12/2026
https://eliasbejjaninews.com/2026/07/155874/
“The Lord gave, and the Lord has taken away; blessed be the name
of the Lord.” (Job 01:21)
With profound sorrow and a heavy heart, we mourn the passing of Senator Lindsey
Graham.
His departure leaves a deep sense of loss not only among his family, friends,
colleagues, and fellow Americans, but also among countless Lebanese who regarded
him as a sincere friend, steadfast supporter, and courageous advocate for
Lebanon's sovereignty, independence, freedom, and democratic values.
Throughout the years, Senator Graham stood firmly in support of Lebanon's right
to remain a free and independent nation. He consistently voiced his support for
the Lebanese people's aspirations for dignity, liberty, self-determination, and
the preservation of their national integrity. His friendship toward Lebanon and
his concern for its future earned him the respect and gratitude of many Lebanese
across generations.
Today, Lebanon and its free people mourns the loss of a friend whose voice was
often raised in defense of freedom and whose commitment to democratic principles
resonated far beyond the borders of the United States. His legacy of public
service, conviction, and dedication to the values he cherished will long be
remembered.
In this moment of grief, our thoughts and prayers are with his family, loved
ones, friends, and the American people. We pray that God grants them strength,
comfort, and peace. As Christians, we find solace in the words of Holy
Scripture: “I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in Me will
live, even though they die.” (John 11:25) And: “Blessed are those who mourn, for
they shall be comforted.” (Matthew 5:4)
We also remember the comforting promise: “He will wipe every tear from their
eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain.” (Revelation
21:4)
May the soul of Senator Lindsey Graham rest in eternal peace, and may perpetual
light shine upon him. His memory will remain alive in the hearts of those who
cherished freedom and in the gratitude of the Lebanese people who considered him
a dear friend.
May God receive him into His heavenly kingdom and grant him everlasting rest.
Background
Sen. Lindsey Graham likely died after aorta rupture, medical examiner says
Seung Min Kim, Mary Clare Jalonick And Meg Kinnard/AP/July 12, 2026
WASHINGTON (AP) — Sen. Lindsey Graham, one of President Donald Trump's closest
allies in Congress who traveled the globe to advocate for a more aggressive U.S.
foreign policy, died after a rupture in his aorta, according to a preliminary
medical examiner finding shared by his office.
The rupture was related to the hardening of Graham's arteries. An official cause
of death will be disclosed after toxicological and microscopic testing.
Graham, a prominent South Carolina Republican and former Air Force lawyer who
served in Congress for more than three decades, had turned 71 years old just two
days before dying on Saturday night. His office had originally said he had
suffered from a "brief and sudden illness."
Trump, who talked to Graham frequently, said he was "like a member of the
family. It's very tough." He said on NBC's "Meet the Press" that Graham had
called him on Saturday night after returning from a trip to Ukraine and "sounded
a little bit tired, but perfect." The president ordered that flags across the
country be flown at half-staff until next Saturday evening.
A noted foreign policy hawk, Graham was one of the most influential figures in
Washington on international affairs and he advised Trump on matters such as the
Iran war and Russia. On Friday, Graham had announced an agreement with the Trump
administration to move forward on a package of Russia sanctions.
As chairman of the Senate Budget Committee, Graham also had a central role
during Trump's second term as Republicans pushed major legislation on party-line
votes while holding a narrow 53-47 majority in the chamber.
Under South Carolina law, Republican Gov. Henry McMaster will appoint a
temporary replacement for Graham, who was seeking a fifth term in November. A
new nominee will be selected in a special primary, which is required to be held
within weeks of a vacancy. The winner of November's general election will start
a full six-year term in January.
Graham had a close, complicated relationship with Trump
Graham, elected to the Senate in 2002 after serving in the House, long promoted
a policy of robust U.S. military interventionism and strong national defense
that in later years would put him at odds with the growing isolationist wing of
his party.
Over time, Graham became well-known for his close ties with Trump, whom the
senator briefly ran against for the presidential nomination in 2016.
Their relationship would begin on a rough note, with Graham calling the then-New
York businessman "unfit for office." Graham used a profanity to describe Trump
after Trump made disparaging comments about Arizona Republican John McCain,
Graham's best friend in the Senate and a Vietnam War veteran. McCain and Graham,
along with Sen. Joe Lieberman, I-Conn., were known as the "Three Amigos" and
frequently traveled together to promote their foreign policy views around the
globe.
During a campaign rally in South Carolina, Trump read out Graham's personal
cellphone number and continued to belittle him throughout the 2016 race as
Graham made it clear he would not support Trump.
Graham, however, shifted significantly once Trump won the White House and
emerged as one of Trump's top allies — speaking with him frequently and becoming
a regular presence on the golf course alongside the president — even as McCain
remained a critic.
In a 2018 interview with The Associated Press, Graham explained his pivot by
saying McCain taught him that the country must move forward after elections and
that meant "you have an obligation" to help the president. McCain ran twice for
the White House.
"And I've tried to be helpful where I could because I think he needs all the
help he can get," Graham said of Trump. "You can be a better critic when people
understand that you're trying to help them be successful."
Graham was a prominent defender of Trump during the president's two first-term
impeachments — a reversal from Graham's role as a House prosecutor during
Democratic President Bill Clinton's impeachment in 1998, when he urged senators
not to make up their minds before listening to all of the arguments. Both Trump
and Clinton were eventually acquitted.
Graham appeared to break with Trump after the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the
Capitol, saying in a dramatic speech on the Senate floor that night, "Count me
out. Enough is enough." But the senator soon returned to Trump's side and the
two remained close during Trump's second term.
Foreign policy was a focus for Graham
Graham had just been in Ukraine to meet with Ukrainian President Volodymyr
Zelenskyy, who said the senator visited his country 10 times during the years
since Russia invaded in February 2022. "Lindsey was a true defender of freedom
and the values that make our world safer," Zelenskyy said.
He was also one of the chief backers of Trump's war in Iran, having advocated
for years for direct confrontation between Washington and Tehran. Graham
continued to defend Trump this summer even as many of fellow Republicans
questioned a tentative June ceasefire agreement that they worried could send
billions of dollars to Iran.
"I'd rather try diplomacy than take it off the table," Graham said of Trump's
memorandum of understanding with Tehran.
Graham's travels made him a familiar face to dozens of world leaders.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Graham understood that the
security of Israel and the United States was inseparable.
"Israel has lost one of its greatest friends. America has lost a great patriot.
I have lost a beloved friend," Netanyahu said.
Graham led both the Senate Budget and Judiciary committees
As Budget Committee chairman, Graham helped oversee a Senate procedure that
allowed Republicans to pass significant policies such as last year's tax law
without the threat of a Democratic filibuster.
He had previously led the Senate Judiciary Committee when Republicans confirmed
Amy Coney Barrett to the Supreme Court in 2020. The senator was in line to
regain that gavel if the party kept its majority after the midterm elections and
had pledged to confirm "as many conservative judges as possible."
Graham was a key player in the Senate's efforts to craft a massive immigration
overhaul in 2013 as a member of a bipartisan group. The legislation passed the
Senate with 68 votes but was never taken up by the House, so it did not become
law.
Graham's views on immigration, particularly an endorsement of a path to
citizenship for people in the U.S. without legal status, put him at odds with
some Republican factions.
Illinois Sen. Dick Durbin, a Democrat who was his ally on that issue, said
Graham was "part of every important policy issue and an indispensable player" in
bipartisan negotiations.
An 'irreplaceable' force in the Senate
Graham often worked across the aisle, even as he remained fiercely loyal to
Trump. Virginia Sen. Mark Warner, a Democrat, said in a statement that "personal
relationships often mattered more to him than the political disagreements of the
day."
Sen. Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn., said Graham was "over the moon" with the
Russian sanctions deal announced Friday. "The last thing in the world I would
have guessed was that he was sick or ill or in any way vulnerable," Blumenthal
said.
Jaime Harrison, a former national and state Democratic Party chairman who
unsuccessfully ran against Graham in 2020, said that even during their "fiercest
political battles" the two men "could still share a conversation, a laugh, and a
mutual respect for South Carolina."
Graham was unique in the Senate for his influence not only on Trump, but also
with his fellow Republicans who were aware of his ability to sometimes move the
president's thinking. He was also known for his sense of humor, often deployed
to diffuse tensions.
Wyoming Sen. John Barrasso, the second-ranking Republican, said Graham will be
missed for his "quick wit and infectious laughter."
McMaster said in a statement that Graham was "irreplaceable." Former Republican
President George W. Bush said Graham "understood how the world works" and "was a
kind and funny man who loved our country and loved serving it."
Graham often spoke about his humble roots, growing up in the back of a South
Carolina bar and helping to raise his sister, Darline, after his parents died at
a young age. Graham was not married and did not have children.
Special election to replace Graham could be within weeks
Graham won 57% of the GOP vote in South Carolina's primary in June and was up
against Democrat Annie Andrews, a pediatrician, and several minor party and
independent candidates in November.
His death will likely prompt a scramble to fill a rare open Senate seat.
A number of Republican names began circulating as possible replacements to serve
out the rest of Graham's term, including three candidates who fell short for the
party's nomination for governor this year — Rep. Nancy Mace, Rep. Ralph Norman
and Lt. Gov. Pamela Evette.
Also in the mix is Rep. Russell Fry, who was elected to the House in 2022.
Conscience in Faith Concepts: The Divine Voice
Dwelling in Man
Elias Bejjani/July 12/2025
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.
A Testimony of Faith: The Story of the Three
Massabki Brothers and Enduring Sacrifices
Elias Bejjani/July 10/2026
https://eliasbejjaninews.com/2026/07/145053/
In the bright pages of history that is filled with faith and sacrifice, shines
the story of the three Massabki brothers: Francis, Abdel Moati, and Raphael. In
Damascus in 1860, they wrote with their blood a powerful testament to spiritual
heroism. These Maronite martyrs, all over sixty years old, refused to abandon
their Christian faith despite threats of death. They became living examples of
what faith means in Christianity, proving that those who kill the body cannot
kill the believing soul. This heroic testimony still resonates today, connected
to similar sacrifices recently witnessed in Damascus, such as the bombing of St.
Elias Greek Orthodox Church.
The 1860 Massacres and an Unwavering Faith
On the night of July 10, 1860, Damascus saw bloody events targeting Christians.
The Massabki brothers, along with many other Christians and Franciscan priests,
sought refuge in a church. But the attackers broke in, demanding they change
their religion. It was then that the brothers’ strong faith shone through.
Francis spoke unforgettable words, showing their courage and resolve: “We don’t
fear those who kill the body… Our crown awaits us in heaven, and we have but one
soul, which we will not lose. We are Christians and we want to die Christians.”
Francis was a silk merchant known for his good Christian life; he’d never start
work without first visiting the church. Abdel Moati had left trade to teach at
the Franciscan school, while Raphael helped the brother in charge of the
sacristy. This good character and Christian commitment weren’t just outward
show; they were deeply rooted in their hearts, allowing them to face death with
unshakeable resolve. The three brothers were killed in the church before the
altar, their blood becoming a living testament to the power of their faith.
The Meaning of Faith in Christianity: “Whoever Acknowledges Me Before Others”
The story of the Massabki brothers clearly shows what faith means in
Christianity. In Christianity, faith isn’t just believing intellectually that
God exists. It’s a complete and total trust in God, involving surrender to His
will, obedience to His commands, and a readiness to sacrifice for Him. It’s a
living, personal relationship with God, built on love and hope.
The Bible verse: “Whoever acknowledges me before others, I will also acknowledge
before my Father in heaven. But whoever disowns me before others, I will disown
before my Father in heaven” (Matthew 10:32-33), highlights the importance of
publicly declaring one’s faith. Acknowledging Christ isn’t just words; it’s a
way of life—a willingness to face challenges and persecution for the truth. This
verse emphasizes a core principle: eternal life is the fruit of this confessed
faith, and witnessing for Christ in this world is the key to being acknowledged
by God in heaven.
Another important verse: “Do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot
kill the soul. Rather, be afraid of the One who can destroy both soul and body
in hell” (Matthew 10:28), points to the truth that physical death cannot end
spiritual life. For believers, physical death is a doorway to eternal life with
Christ. The Massabki brothers deeply understood this, so they didn’t fear death;
instead, they saw it as a path to the crown prepared for them in heaven.
The Continuation of Sacrifice: From the 1860 Massacres to the St. Elias Church
Bombing
Tragic events, such as the bombing of St. Elias Greek Orthodox Church in
Damascus, show that the spirit of persecution for faith has not ended with time.
Despite the significant time gap between the martyrdom of the Massabki brothers
and this horrific crime, there are strong and deep-rooted connections between
them:
Sacred Space as a Target: The Massabki brothers were martyred inside a church.
The same occurred at St. Elias Church, where terrorists stormed the building
while worshippers were inside, and one detonated an explosive belt, killing and
injuring dozens, including children, elderly, and women. In both incidents, a
house of God was turned into a scene of brutal violence against believers.
Targeted Because of Faith
The Massabki brothers paid the ultimate price for refusing to abandon their
faith. In the St. Elias Church bombing, the targets were Christian worshippers
gathered for prayer, confirming that the primary motive behind the attack was to
target the Christian faith itself. Both crimes aimed to terrorize Christians and
force them to abandon their religious identity.
Continuous Witness
The victims of St. Elias Church, like the Massabki brothers, made the ultimate
sacrifice. They became martyrs for their faith, not necessarily for verbally
refusing to deny Christ, but because they were killed for being Christians
exercising their right to worship. This embodies the profound meaning of the
verse: “Do not be afraid of those who kill the body,” for despite the killing
and destruction, faith remains alive and triumphant. Connected History of
Persecution: What happened at St. Elias Church reminds us of the persecutions
that occurred in 1860 and others throughout history. It confirms that Christian
communities in the region continue to face existential challenges that demand
steadfastness and resilience in the face of violence and extremism.
Ecclesiastical Honor: Saints on the Altar of God
In recognition of their heroic sacrifice, the Catholic Church beatified the
three Massabki brothers. On October 10, 1926, Pope Pius XI declared their
beatification. Then, on October 20, 2024, Pope Francis declared them saints,
placing them on the altar of God.
Today, the Lebanese Maronite Church, along with the entire Catholic Church,
remembers the testimony of these brothers who never abandoned Christ or their
faith in Him. They accepted martyrdom because of their unwavering belief. Their
remains are still kept in the Maronite church in Damascus, serving as a lasting
reminder of their sacrifice and unshakeable faith.
The story of the three Massabki brothers, and the sacrifices of the martyrs of
St. Elias Church, call every believer to reflect on the meaning of true faith
and to be ready to bear witness to Christ in all circumstances, understanding
that the believing soul is stronger than any attempt to destroy it. These
stories highlight that faith is not just a belief, but a life lived and
sacrificed for.
The Secrets of Graham's Final Days: What Did He Leave
for Lebanon and the Region?
Lebanon, July 24, 2026
The fierce clash between the late Republican US Senator Lindsey Graham and the
Lebanese military leadership was merely one aspect of a broader and more complex
regional vision he crafted until the very last hours of his life, which ended
abruptly following a sudden health crisis. The American website Axios revealed
that Graham spent his final weeks laying the groundwork for a new and ambitious
push aimed at achieving one of his most cherished diplomatic dreams: brokering
an agreement to normalize relations between Saudi Arabia and Israel. According
to Axios, the late senator continued working until his dying breath to define
the contours of the American role in the Middle East based on this objective.
Summer 2025: "The Offer and the Impossible Condition" in Beirut
This regional vision of Graham's is closely linked to the issue of funding and
support in Lebanon. In August 2025, Graham became a prominent figure in Beirut's
closed political circles, carrying with him a historic and unprecedented defense
agreement to develop the Lebanese army and modernize its arsenal. However, this
generous American support came with a stringent condition: the complete
disarmament of Hezbollah to undermine Iranian influence in the region. This
systematic political pressure escalated into a direct and heated confrontation
behind closed doors in Washington in February 2026. During a closed meeting with
the army commander, General Rudolph Haykal, Graham made a sharp demand, calling
on the military establishment to publicly and officially designate Hezbollah as
a "terrorist organization." When the army commander's response was measured and
based on a realistic assessment that took into account Lebanon's specific
circumstances and the fragile internal balances necessary for maintaining civil
peace, the Republican senator could not tolerate the diplomatic language. He
stormed out in anger and abruptly ended the meeting, leaving a significant rift
in communication between the two sides. Graham's response was swift. He swiftly
shifted the battle from closed-door meetings to the public sphere in the spring
of 2026, launching a fierce media and legislative assault against the Lebanese
military establishment, describing the army as an "unreliable partner" for the
United States. He also spearheaded a move in Congress to cut off every cent of
US aid and training and arms programs allocated to the army. With his sudden
death, Graham is absent from the international stage as one of the most
influential and active figures in Washington's foreign policy for decades. He
departs with a host of pressing issues and unfulfilled diplomatic ambitions,
from the grand normalization plan in the Gulf to the stalled military aid
package in Beirut, leaving behind a long legacy in which he linked the region's
stability to the complete dismantling of Iranian influence.
Israeli Ambassador to Washington Reveals “Experimental
Zones” Plan in Southern Lebanon
Janoubia/July 12, 2026
Israeli Ambassador to Washington, Yehiel Leiter, revealed a new approach to
implementing the understandings related to southern Lebanon, based on
establishing what he described as “experimental zones.” The aim is to test the
mechanism for implementing the framework agreement and pave the way for the
deployment of the Lebanese army in these zones. He stated that work is currently
underway to prepare these “experimental zones” in coordination with the American
and Lebanese armies, with the goal of creating the necessary conditions for
implementing the framework agreement on the ground. He explained that the next
phase aims to equip these zones to receive and deploy the Lebanese army, noting
that Israel will continue its withdrawal from the designated areas if the
experiment proves successful, while maintaining its forces there if the desired
results are not achieved. These statements come at a time when contacts are
ongoing regarding the mechanisms for implementing the understandings concerning
southern Lebanon, particularly those related to the deployment of the Lebanese
army in the border areas, amidst American monitoring of the implementation
process and coordination between the concerned parties.
Historic Beaufort Castle Under Fire… Israel Releases Photos
and Alleges Existence of Tunnels
South Lebanon/July 12, 2026
Israel has leveled a new accusation against Hezbollah, claiming that it used
Beaufort Castle, one of the most prominent historical landmarks in southern
Lebanon, for military purposes. Israeli army spokeswoman Ella Wawiya stated that
Hezbollah converted parts of the castle into tunnels and weapons depots,
alleging that it exploited the archaeological site for military objectives.
Wawiya claimed that the party used the castle, despite its historical and
cultural value, without regard for its cultural significance, asserting that the
site was employed in military activities. These statements come amidst repeated
Israeli accusations against Hezbollah of using civilian and heritage sites for
military purposes, accusations which the party typically denies.
Uncertainty surrounds pilot zones… and Israeli escalation
in the south coincides with preparations for Rome talks
South Lebanon/July 12, 2026
Preparations are underway for the upcoming Rome talks between Lebanon and
Israel, amid an atmosphere described as “cautiously positive,” while the
implementation mechanisms and pilot zones remain undecided. This coincides with
the continued Israeli escalation in southern Lebanon, through bombings,
shelling, and the dropping of incendiary bombs that have caused widespread
fires. Political sources told Al-Jadeed TV that preparations for the Rome talks
have begun among the various parties to discuss the issues of Israeli
withdrawal, the deployment of the Lebanese army, and military and civilian
tasks, without any guarantees regarding the speed of implementation or the
Israeli response. The sources added that the Lebanese government has been
informed of the date for the Rome talks, without any information yet regarding
the villages or towns that will be designated as pilot zones, noting that the
atmosphere is “cautiously positive, not pessimistic.” On the ground, Israeli
forces carried out a large bombing in the town of Zawtar al-Sharqiya. Meanwhile,
the National News Agency reported that an Israeli drone dropped several
incendiary bombs on the outskirts of the town of Jdeidet Marjeyoun, in the
western Tell area, causing a large fire that consumed more than 100 dunams of
farmland, including wheat fields, olive groves, and other crops. Lebanese Civil
Defense teams, supported by centers in Qlaiaa, Khiam, Rashaya al-Foukhar, and
Hasbaya, worked for approximately six hours to extinguish the fire before
bringing it under control and preventing its spread to additional areas. In a
related development, the Ministry of Health announced that the cumulative death
toll from the Israeli aggression since March 2nd has risen to 4,322 martyrs and
12,219 wounded.
One killed, two injured in attacks on southern Iran: State
media
LBCI/12 July ,2026
Iranian state media reported Sunday that an employee of a telecommunications
company was killed in attacks in the southern province of Hormozgan on the Gulf,
as hostilities resumed between Tehran and Washington."Following the enemy attack
on Farur in Bandar Lengeh, one employee of the Mobile Communications Company of
Iran was killed while carrying out his duties, and two of his colleagues were
injured," the IRNA state news agency reported. AFP
Lebanese official confirms country's participation in Rome
talks with Israel
Agence France Presse/12 July ,2026
A Lebanese official told AFP that Lebanon would take part in planned talks with
Israel next week in Rome, after Beirut had previously conditioned participation
on Israel withdrawing from certain areas it occupies in the south. The official,
speaking on condition of anonymity, confirmed that "Lebanon will participate"
without offering further details, as a U.S. military delegation visited the
country to discuss implementing a framework agreement between Lebanon and
Israel.
Rome talks on Lebanon face uncertainty amid US-Iran
escalation
LBCI/12 July ,2026
As developments continue to unfold between the United States and Iran, attention
is also focused on the future of the Israel-Lebanon negotiations expected to
take place in Rome. The Israeli military has maintained its deployment in
Lebanon after halting what officials described as "sensitive operations" under a
political directive. Meanwhile, the Israeli government has approved an extension
of the nationwide state of emergency through July 28, citing the possibility of
escalation on the Iranian and Lebanese fronts. At the same time, conflicting
Israeli statements have emerged regarding a potential withdrawal from one of the
proposed pilot areas in southern Lebanon. While military sources say the
withdrawal could take place ahead of the Rome negotiations at Washington's
request, other officials deny that any such request has been made. Amid the
uncertainty over a possible withdrawal and the upcoming Rome talks, the Israeli
military has continued operations across the area, from the Litani River to the
Yellow Line. As Israel believes any military escalation with Iran would also
affect Lebanon, sources familiar with coordination between Tel Aviv and
Washington said professional teams are preparing new maps identifying additional
pilot areas that could be discussed during the Rome negotiations. As part of
U.S. efforts to de-escalate the Lebanon front, security officials said the Rome
meeting could be postponed until after the July 21 summit between the U.S. and
Lebanese presidents in Washington. Meanwhile, Israeli officials said no date has
yet been set for Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's visit to Washington,
despite ongoing U.S. efforts to arrange a trilateral meeting between President
Donald Trump, President Joseph Aoun and Netanyahu. Israeli assessments, however,
place the chances of such a meeting taking place at virtually zero.
Escalation Continues in the South: Israeli Army Pursues
Scorched Earth Policy by Demolishing Homes in Majdal Zoun and Bint Jbeil
South Lebanon/July 12, 2026
This morning, Sunday, the Israeli occupation army continued its systematic
destruction of residential areas and infrastructure in villages and towns of
southern Lebanon, relying on the method of "direct demolition and bombing" of
homes to create a field and geographical change in the region, amidst ongoing
attacks with heavy machine guns and continuous shelling. Homes Demolished in
Majdal Zoun and Mansouri Targeted
At 3:00 AM, engineering units of the occupation army carried out a large-scale
demolition operation inside the town of Majdal Zoun:
Systematic Demolition: Occupation forces booby-trapped and detonated a number of
homes simultaneously, leveling them to the ground and causing explosions to be
heard throughout the surrounding villages. Intimidation and Targeting of
Mansouri: Concurrently with the Majdal Zoun bombings, the occupation forces
opened heavy machine gun fire intensively and indiscriminately towards
residential homes in the neighboring town of Mansouri, causing significant
property damage and escalating tensions on the ground. Continued Bombing in Bint
Jbeil
As an extension of its "scorched earth" policy, the Israeli army continued its
destruction of heritage and residential neighborhoods in the city of Bint Jbeil.
The invading forces continued to booby-trap and demolish homes and buildings
with high-explosive devices. The occupation employs this systematic approach to
create a "buffer zone" and destroy any semblance of life in strategic cities and
towns in the south of the country, amidst ongoing violent clashes on multiple
fronts.
Israeli Incendiary Bombs Set Fire to Over 100 Dunams in
Jdeidet Marjeyoun
Al-Markazia/July 12, 2026
Israeli drones dropped several incendiary bombs on the outskirts of Jdeidet
Marjeyoun in the West Tell area, sparking a large fire that consumed over 100
dunams of farmland. The fire destroyed harvested and unharvested wheat fields,
as well as a large number of olive trees and other crops, causing significant
losses to the agricultural sector. Lebanese Civil Defense teams battled the
blaze for approximately six hours, with the Jdeidet Marjeyoun center supported
by centers in Qlaiaa, Khiam, Rashaya al-Foukhar, and Hasbaya, before finally
bringing the fire under control and preventing its spread to additional areas,
thus averting a more severe agricultural disaster.
Iran to Berri: Lebanon Will Be the First Item in Any Final
Agreement with the United States
Al-Markazia/July 12, 2026
MP Hussein Hajj Hassan, a member of the Loyalty to the Resistance Bloc, stated
that "our Iranian brothers have confirmed, through their contacts with Speaker
Nabih Berri and Hezbollah Secretary-General Sheikh Naim Qassem, and through the
recent visit of the Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister, that Lebanon will be the
first item in any potential final agreement with the United States." During a
memorial service, he added, "The first item is the issue of a permanent
ceasefire, a cessation of hostilities, and an Israeli withdrawal. This is a
clear and sufficient Iranian commitment."
Video link: Commentary by journalist Ali Hamada: Has the
United States reached the conclusion that the Iranian regime is beyond reform?
Qatar was not spared from Iranian aggression even after the death of its former
Emir.
The sudden death of prominent Republican Congressman Lindsey Graham.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Po7v80_s7_o
July 12, 2026
Death of the former Emir of Qatar, Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani.
The sudden death of prominent Republican Congressman Lindsey Graham.
Since assuming power, Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani played prominent
geopolitical roles in the region and the world, working to expand his country's
soft power. Senator Lindsey Graham played a significant role in shaping American
positions on global issues during the Trump era.
In Lebanon, Israel, the Arabian Gulf, and Iran. He was known as a fierce
opponent of the regime in Iran, a staunch supporter of Israel, and a strong
advocate for a Lebanon free from Iranian control. Exchanges of fire between the
US and Iran continued throughout Saturday night and into Sunday morning,
reaching Qatar even after the death of the former Emir, whose passing was
mourned by Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi. Similarly, Oman, Iran's
designated mediator, was targeted, with Iran announcing an attack on the
Musandam region. Has the US reached the conclusion that the Iranian regime is
beyond reform? Lebanon is preparing for the start of Israeli withdrawals from
the "experimental zones."
PM Salam condemns Iranian attacks on Gulf states and Jordan
LBCI/12 July ,2026
Prime Minister Nawaf Salam strongly condemned the Iranian attacks targeting
Kuwait, Qatar, Bahrain, the United Arab Emirates, Oman and Jordan, describing
them as violations of the countries' sovereignty, threats to their security and
a danger to regional stability. In a statement, Salam reaffirmed Lebanon's full
solidarity with the six countries, saying Lebanon stands firmly by their side.
Authorities uncover alleged scheme to secure Lebanese
citizenship for two children: The details
LBCI/12 July ,2026
Has Lebanese citizenship become so valuable that some people are willing to
commit fraud to obtain it? Two boys have been living with their biological
parents in the Jabal Mohsen neighborhood of Tripoli. Yet, in Lebanon's civil
registry, they were registered under the names of two different people.
A Syrian man has lived in Jabal Mohsen for the past 20 years. During that time,
he married a Palestinian woman, and the couple had two sons. In an attempt to
obtain Lebanese citizenship for the children, they were registered under the
name of the man's brother-in-law. Both children were born at Our Lady Hospital
in Zgharta. On each occasion, the mother, in coordination with her husband and
his brother-in-law, was admitted to the hospital using the identity of the
brother-in-law's wife, who is also the children's paternal aunt. Because the
identification document used during admission carried an outdated photograph,
the hospital staff did not detect the deception. The hospital subsequently
issued birth records identifying the children as Lebanese and listing the
brother-in-law as their father, even though their biological parents were the
Syrian father and the Palestinian mother. Using the hospital-issued birth
records, the brother-in-law obtained birth certificates from the local mukhtar
before registering the boys with Lebanon's civil registry and obtaining official
civil status records in their names. After receiving a tip from an informant,
the Tripoli branch of the State Security Directorate launched an investigation.
The investigation led to the arrest of the children's biological father and the
brother-in-law on the instructions of North Lebanon's duty appellate public
prosecutor, Judge Katia Andary. Once the investigation and trial are completed,
the two boys are expected to be removed from Lebanon's civil registry following
DNA testing and re-registered under the names of their biological parents, who
are Syrian nationals.
Lebanon's Aoun, Salam and Berri mourn former Qatari emir Sheikh Hamad bin
Khalifa Al Thani
LBCI/12 July ,2026
Lebanese President Joseph Aoun, Prime Minister Nawaf Salam and Parliament
Speaker Nabih Berri offered condolences to Qatar following the death of former
Emir Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani, praising his longstanding support for
Lebanon and his role in promoting stability and national reconciliation.
President Aoun described Sheikh Hamad's passing as a major loss for Qatar,
Lebanon and the Arab world, recalling the late emir's steadfast support for
Lebanon, particularly during the 2006 Israel-Hezbollah war. He said Qatar, under
Sheikh Hamad's leadership, stood by Lebanon during one of its darkest periods
and helped ease the suffering of its people. Aoun also highlighted Sheikh
Hamad's contributions to rebuilding Lebanese towns and villages damaged during
the war, describing the initiatives as a lasting symbol of Arab solidarity. He
praised the late emir's efforts to bridge divisions among Lebanese factions,
particularly through his sponsorship of the 2008 Doha Conference, which helped
end a critical political crisis, restore the functioning of Lebanon's
constitutional institutions and strengthen security across the country. Prime
Minister Salam extended his deepest condolences to Qatar's leadership and
people, saying Sheikh Hamad would remain in the memory of all Lebanese for the
political and humanitarian support he provided during some of the country's most
difficult times, as well as for his efforts to preserve Lebanon's stability.
Salam also conveyed his condolences to Qatari Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al
Thani and Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al
Thani, praying for mercy upon the late emir and offering sympathy to the Qatari
people. Parliament Speaker Berri likewise sent a message of condolence to Emir
Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, describing Sheikh Hamad as a leader who
dedicated his life to Qatar's progress, stability and development. Berri said
Lebanon and its people would always remember the late emir as a loyal friend who
helped heal the country's wounds and consistently stood by Lebanon in support of
its peace, stability, unity and recovery. He also extended condolences, on
behalf of himself and the Lebanese Parliament, to the Qatari leadership, the
ruling family and the Qatari people.
The catch in Lebanon’s accord with Israel
Dr. Dania Koleilat Khatib/Arab News/July 12, 2026
Lebanon is in turmoil. The country is more divided than ever after the framework
agreement the Lebanese government signed with Israel. The country is divided
between those who approve of the accord with Israel and those who think it
cements the Israeli occupation. However, in this accord, the most disturbing
clause is clause 13. The deal clearly favors Israel. Lebanon has mandatory,
defined and irreversible commitments. The agreement states that “the government
of Lebanon reaffirms its resolute and irreversible commitment to restoring and
exercising full sovereignty over all its territory.” It adds that the state
should “achieve the complete and verified disarmament of all nonstate armed
groups.”Israel, on the other hand, has only conditional commitments probably
based on its assessment of the situation — basically, at its own discretion.
Israel can remain in the country as long as it thinks Hezbollah is still armed
and poses a threat to it. Who defines what posing a threat means and what
exactly “armed” means in this context? Israel. The agreement does not even speak
of withdrawal. Instead, it speaks of redeployment. It states that the Lebanese
military “will restore effective sovereign authority over all Lebanese
territory, pending the verified disarmament of nonstate armed groups and
dismantlement of associated infrastructure,” thus enabling Israel “to
progressively redeploy out of the Lebanese territory.”
In this context, which clearly shows that Israel has the upper hand, comes
clause 13. It states that the two parties, in order to show goodwill, should not
raise any complaints in international forums. This means that the Lebanese
government has agreed to exonerate Israel of all wrongdoing. The forced
displacement, the controlled demolition of villages, the use of white phosphorus
and the destruction of olive trees should not be contested under this framework
agreement. This clause will encourage Israel to continue its aggressive actions
knowing it will face no consequences.
Clause 13 states: “Israel and Lebanon commit to take good faith measures that
demonstrate positive intent, including the cessation of all hostile or adverse
actions in international political or legal fora.” Legally speaking, Lebanon has
not waived its right to raise complaints against Israel or given up the rights
of Lebanese citizens who want to seek justice. It has only committed to cease
pursuing them for now. Lebanon has suspended this right while the negotiations
continue. By doing so, it has given up a strong card without getting any
concessions from Israel in return. Lebanon could have used such complaints
against Israel as a negotiating card and an important pressure point.
Lebanon should be collecting evidence and organizing accurate official records
that can be used against Israel. International criminal investigations rely
heavily on accurate documentation. Exact times of death, the chronology of
events, the preservation of physical evidence and the integrity of official
records are all important components in reconstructing what happened. Even
seemingly minor discrepancies in timelines or documentation can complicate the
subsequent legal analysis because investigators, prosecutors and defense teams
all examine chronology with great precision.
Clause 13 will encourage Israel to continue its aggressive actions knowing it
will face no consequences.Look at the case of Ali Shehab, a Europe-based
Lebanese researcher specializing in media psychology. On March 12, Shehab lost
his brother Mohammed and four-year-old niece Taline. They were killed inside
their home in Aramoun, Lebanon, during an Israeli airstrike. In the days that
followed, an official Israeli military statement acknowledged that the intended
target of the operation was someone else.
For Ali’s family, that statement immediately transformed grief into a search for
answers. If the target was someone else, how did a father and his young daughter
lose their lives inside their home? What standards of distinction,
proportionality and precaution were applied? For Ali, those questions deserved
careful legal examination rather than a political debate. This pushed him to
start his effort to seek justice for Mohammed and Taline.
Like many families affected by war, he quickly discovered that surviving
relatives often become investigators by necessity. He started collecting
photographs, preserving videos, archiving digital evidence, reconstructing
timelines, locating witnesses and studying international humanitarian law — not
because he was trained to do so but because he feared that, if he did not
preserve the evidence immediately, it might disappear forever.The documentation
was not the main challenge facing Ali. The main challenge was dealing with the
Lebanese institutions. The administrative delays and inconsistent procedures
created a significant obstacle for him, as well as for other families seeking
accountability. Basic documentation that should be promptly produced through
official processes was delayed, incomplete or difficult to obtain. He told me
that families often spend months attempting to secure records, verify
information and preserve evidence, while simultaneously coping with their
profound personal loss. Ali last month spoke about his loss at the UN in Geneva.
His audience consisted of diplomats, legal experts, journalists and
international investigators. Ali said he is not seeking sympathy but justice for
his brother and his niece because that is what they deserve. But the Lebanese
state is distancing itself from them. What is really disturbing is that the
Lebanese government, instead of helping individuals like Ali who have lost loved
ones, is creating hurdles for them. If the government supported them, it would
also be supporting its own position vis-a-vis Israel in these negotiations.
Nevertheless, it has chosen to give away this card while disappointing its own
citizens.
• Dr. Dania Koleilat Khatib is a specialist in US-Arab relations with a focus on
lobbying. She is co-founder of the Research Center for Cooperation and Peace
Building, a Lebanese nongovernmental organization focused on Track II.
“Political Christianity” Saves all Lebanese
Elie Aoun/July 12/2026
https://eliasbejjaninews.com/2026/07/155881/
Resolving many of Lebanon’s problems does not require a “dialogue” but a
“confession” to certain facts, such as: (1) more than 80% of Muslim-led
countries lack political freedom; (2) more than 70% of Christian-led countries
enjoy political freedom; and (3) liberty is at the root of being human.
Although many Lebanese of various religious backgrounds are patriotic and love
their country, a simple comparison between nations led by Christians with those
led by Muslim rulers would clearly indicate that an increase in Islamic
political power in a country has an 80% likelihood of threatening political
liberty. A revelation of this fact is not an attack on Muslims but to present
what is in the best interest of all Lebanese (Christians, Muslims, and Druze)
who desire to preserve their freedom, the basis of them “being human.”
In our geographic region, many Sunni-led nations offer no political
possibilities for a non-Sunni. The Shiite-led country (Iran) offers no political
possibilities for a non-Shiite. Even a Sunni in many Sunni countries, or a
Shiite in Iran, lacks the freedom to publicly criticize the nation’s rulers.
Just recently, a Lebanese Shiite made a caricature mockery of the Maronite
Patriarch. If a Shiite citizen had made a similar disrespectful portrait of a
major religious Shiite leader in Iran, he would have been executed.
What is taking place around Lebanon is a sample of an 80% possibility of what a
“secular” or “civil state” Lebanon would look like if ruled by a Muslim.
Someone may raise a question about “political equality” (i.e., that a citizen
should acquire the same political or military post as any other citizen
regardless of religion). However, wisdom tells us to distinguish between “equal
moral worth” and “eligibility to wield political or military power.”
There can be no equality between those who believe in freedom of expression and
those who wish “to cut the hands and legs” of anyone who simply disagrees with
their political view. There can be no equality between those who seek to
preserve liberty and those who fight to replace their liberty with enslavement
to a foreign Islamic regime. There can be no equality between those who practice
co-existence and those who use co-existence as “taqiyya” for takeover.
If liberty is the root of being human, and a multitude of Islamic-led nations
deny political liberties to Christians, and a large number of Christians are
consistently being persecuted by Muslims in many parts of the world, then a
Muslim lacks the moral standing to request from a Christian more political
authority.
In the same manner that many Islamic leaders lied about their commitment to “no
East and no West” (by supporting dictatorial regimes at the expense of their
country), so also they are lying about their “secular” or “civil state”
proposals as proven by the quality of the regimes which they currently support –
unilateral dictatorships at the expense of all other religious communities.
Even today with the presence of a Christian president in Lebanon, many Lebanese
Sunnis rally behind a regional Sunni dictator or a monarch – while some Shiites
rally behind a regional dictatorship of their own. Why would any Sunni or a
Shiite support a regime that would kill him or kill his descendants if at some
point in the future he or his descendants decide to disagree with the leadership
of that regime? Any Lebanese Muslim who demands “equal political rights”, while
at the same time rallies behind regional regimes that offer no political rights
to many of their citizens, is either stupid or a liar.
Even with the presence of a Christian president, a few Muslims rob Christian
property, rob a bishop, overtake or subdue governmental posts reserved to
Christians, accuse those who disagree with them as “traitors”, deny the rights
to many political activists (of all religions) from returning to their country
just because of their views, and accuse the Christians who fled to Israel as
“Israeli agents”. If that is a crime, why not prosecute the ones who forced
those Christians to commit this “crime” of fleeing their country to Israel and
become “agents”?
National salvation requires that we do not give political equality to those who
intend to utilize “equality” to assume enough political power in order to
mistreat and subdue the rest of the population.
The political freedoms enjoyed by all Lebanese exist only because of the
Christian rule. The continuation of such freedoms depends on preserving and
enhancing Christian rule. In the same manner that the rulers of surrounding
Muslim nations have full executive orders, so must a Christian president have
full executive orders in Lebanon (along with a system of checks and balances).
The best role that a Lebanese Muslim can play is to cooperate and support
Christians who are in favor of “political Christianity” because that is the only
security for the future of Christians, Muslims, and Druze “being human.”
“Where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom” (2 Corinthians 3:17).
And where the spirit of Islamic rule is, there is no political freedom.
Indeed, We revealed the Torah, containing guidance and light…Then in the
footsteps of the prophets, We sent Jesus, son of Mary, confirming the Torah
revealed before him. And We gave him the Gospel containing guidance and light …
And those who do not judge by what Allah has revealed (those who do not judge by
the Torah and the Gospel) are truly the disbelievers and the wrongdoers. (Al
Ma’eda 5:44-46).
The Latest English LCCC
Miscellaneous Reports And News published
on 12-13 July/2026
Pivotal US Republican Senator Lindsey Graham dies at 71
Reuters/12 July ,2026
US Senator Lindsey Graham, a key Republican who went from a vocal critic of
Donald Trump to one of his most loyal allies on Capitol Hill after Trump became
president, has died at age 71. The South Carolina lawmaker died after a “brief
and sudden illness,” his office posted on X early on Sunday. US media said
emergency personnel had responded to a call for cardiac arrest at his Capitol
Hill home on Saturday night. Graham, just back from a trip to Ukraine, had been
scheduled to appear on the “Meet the Press” interview program on Sunday morning,
the network said. Shortly after his death was announced, Trump called Graham
“one of the greatest people and senators I have ever known” and a hard-working
patriot.During the 2016 campaign, in which Graham was among many Republicans who
lost the presidential nomination to Trump, he posted on social media: “If we
nominate Trump, we will get destroyed ... and we will deserve it.”Graham told
CNN in 2015 that Trump was “a race-baiting, xenophobic, religious bigot,”
adding, “He doesn’t represent my party. He doesn’t represent the values that the
men and women who wear the uniform are fighting for.”Later, after becoming a
loyal supporter and frequent golf partner, Graham still publicly disagreed with
Trump’s decision upon returning to office last year to pardon about 1,500 of the
president’s supporters who attacked the US Capitol on January 6, 2021, saying it
could lead to more violence. A defense hawk, Graham “consistently pushed for
outcomes in the War on Terror that protect our long-term national security
interests,” his website said. He was a prominent supporter of Israel and Ukraine
and opponent of Iran.“Israel has lost one of its greatest friends. America has
lost a great patriot. I have lost a beloved friend,” Israeli Prime Minister
Benjamin Netanyahu said in a statement. On Friday, Graham said China could play
a decisive role in pressuring Russia towards peace talks, helping end its war in
Ukraine. Graham, a frequent visitor to Ukraine, met President Volodymyr
Zelenskyy in Kyiv. They discussed Ukraine’s air defense needs and a Russian
sanctions bill, Zelenskyy said. Graham said bolstering Ukraine’s military
capabilities and aligning sanctions with a diplomatic push could force Moscow
into talks. “The road to ending this war, the road to peace, passes through
Beijing more than it does (through) Washington, Kyiv or Moscow,” Graham told
reporters at Kyiv’s Mykhailivska Square. “China has an oversized influence. I’d
like them to use their influence for the good of the world.”“I don’t believe
(Russian President Vladimir) Putin is there yet, but it wouldn’t take much to
get him there.”Graham recently served as chairman of the Senate Budget Committee
and was a member of the Committee on Appropriations, the Judiciary Committee and
the Committee on Environment and Public Works. A former Air Force lawyer and
member of the South Carolina Air National Guard, Graham was elected to the
Senate in 2002. Before that, he was elected to the House of Representatives in
1994 for South Carolina’s 3rd congressional district, according to his website.
He was not married and lived in Seneca, South Carolina.
Netanyahu says Israel lost 'one of its greatest friends' with death of Lindsey
Graham
Agence France Presse/12 July ,2026
Prominent U.S. Senator Lindsey Graham, a key ally of President Donald Trump,
died on Saturday aged 71 following a "brief and sudden illness," his office
said. Graham, known for his foreign policy work, was a staunch supporter of the
Iran war and in recent years urged both Trump and the Biden administrations to
back Kyiv's fight against Russia's invasion. "On the evening of Saturday, July
11, U.S. Senator Lindsey Graham passed away from a brief and sudden illness,"
the Republican senator from South Carolina's office said in a statement on his
official X account. "Senator Graham's family appreciates prayers at this time
and asks for privacy during this incredibly difficult period."Trump paid tribute
to the influential senator on Sunday, calling him "one of the greatest people"
in a post on his Truth Social site. "Senator Lindsey Graham, one of the greatest
people and Senators I have ever known, is dead! He was always working, and was a
true American Patriot. Lindsey will be greatly missed!!!"Graham made a failed
bid for the presidency in 2016, warning at the time that Republicans should not
back Trump because he was a "race-baiting, xenophobic, religious bigot."
Their relationship was strained by the January 6, 2021, Capitol insurrection,
with Graham saying his Republican colleagues should "count me out, enough is
enough" -- although he later voted against convicting Trump in his impeachment
trial. Graham reconciled their relationship after Trump returned to office and
supported his re-election bid.
'A great friend of Israel'
Graham was also a strong supporter of Israel and a hawkish backer of the Iran
war.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said: "Lindsey is a great friend of
Israel and a cherished friend of mine.""Lindsey understood that the security of
Israel and America are inseparable. He devoted his life to defending America,
strengthening our alliance and standing up for the free world," Netanyahu said
in a statement released by his office. Israeli President Isaac Herzog said the
news left him "shocked and heartbroken.""Senator Graham was a beacon of moral
clarity and a true leader of the U.S.-Israel partnership," he said in a post on
X. "We will never forget how he stood by the people of Israel in our most
difficult moments, and we will remain eternally grateful for his sense of
justice, truth, and loyalty," Herzog said.
'Irreplaceable' -
Graham was first elected to the U.S. House of Representatives in 1994, before
being elected to the Senate in 2002. He was later re-elected to the Senate in
2008, 2014 and 2020 and most recently served as chairman of the Senate Budget
Committee. South Carolina Governor Henry McMaster described Graham as
"irreplaceable". "The fiercest of fighters for South Carolina and America -- and
a loyal and steadfast friend," McMaster said in a post on X. Graham served as a
military lawyer and attained the rank of air force colonel, an experience that
informed his interventionist stance in foreign policy. In 2002, he voted in
favour of military action against Iraq in the wake of the September 11 attacks,
and later supported a long-term U.S. presence in Afghanistan. Graham was a
frequent critic of President Barack Obama's foreign policy, calling him a "weak
opponent of evil" in 2015 over his negotiation of a nuclear deal with Iran.
Graham met with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in Kyiv as recently as
Friday, where he reportedly supported tougher economic sanctions on Russia and
its allies.Zelensky said on X that he appreciated Graham's support, noting that
it was the American senator's 10th visit to his country.
Adviser to Iran’s supreme leader says Strait of Hormuz
‘more important’ than nuclear bombs
Al Arabiya English/12 July ,2026
An adviser to Iran’s supreme leader said on Sunday that the Strait of Hormuz was
more important than “dozens of atomic bombs,” vowing to protect the vital
waterway. “This strategic passage is more important than dozens of atomic bombs,
and the Islamic Republic of Iran will protect it,” Mohsen Rezaei was quoted by
the ISNA news agency as saying. Western countries accuse Iran of seeking to
create an atomic bomb, but Tehran has insisted its nuclear program is for
peaceful, civilian purposes. Tehran announced it was closing the Strait of
Hormuz on Sunday and launched missiles and drones at its Gulf neighbors, in
retaliation for new US strikes following an attack by Iranian forces on a
merchant vessel that was abandoned in flames by its crew. The tensions
threatened an interim agreement aimed at ending the Middle East war, which broke
out in late February with massive US-Israeli strikes that killed Iran’s former
supreme leader Ali Khamenei. A roadblock to a final agreement is the future of
the Strait of Hormuz, which Iran closed to commercial shipping during the war.
The waterway is a key conduit for oil and gas exports from the Gulf, and its
closure during the war has heavily impacted the world economy. Iran insists on
controlling the passage of ships and plans to charge fees, a stance Washington
has rejected. The US Central Command announced later on Sunday that the Strait
of Hormuz was open to all vessels and that US military forces are “positioned
and prepared” to ensure freedom of navigation.With AFP
Iran declares Strait of Hormuz closed, US military insists
traffic flowing
Al Arabiya English/12 July ,2026
Iran said the Strait of Hormuz was closed on Sunday while the United States
insisted it remained open, after the confrontation over the vital waterway again
sparked US and Iranian strikes.The strait, essential to global oil and gas
supplies, has become a central point of contention between the two foes,
repeatedly leading to exchanges of fire despite an agreement aimed at ending the
Middle East war that was struck last month. The latest exchange was prompted by
another Iranian attack on a commercial ship in the waterway whose crew was
forced to abandon it after it went up in flames.
Before the war began with surprise US-Israeli strikes against Iran on February
28, there was free passage through Hormuz, but Tehran now insists that it will
control the strait, while Washington is adamant it cannot. “Following this
incident... the Strait of Hormuz will be closed until further notice and until
the end of American interventions in this region,” Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary
Guard Corps (IRGC) said Sunday, according to state news agency IRNA. The US
military’s Central Command countered on X that the strait was “open to all
vessels seeking to lawfully transit the international waterway.”It said US
forces were “positioned and prepared to ensure” freedom of navigation, adding:
“Iran does not control the strait. Traffic is flowing.”Control of the waterway
has become key leverage for Iran, with an advisor to the country’s supreme
leader on Sunday saying it was more important than “dozens of atomic bombs.”
‘Hit them very hard’
Iran said it had targeted two ships in Hormuz, accusing them of ignoring
instructions to use an approved transit corridor or “violating regulations,”
IRNA said. The attacks prompted a barrage of US strikes across Iran in response,
with the US military saying it had hit about 140 targets in its third round of
attacks this week. Iranian media reported explosions in Bandar Abbas, Sirik,
Jask and on Qeshm Island, as well as in Khuzestan province, with one soldier
reported killed in the southern city of Jask. US President Donald Trump told CNN
that “we hit them very hard last night,” and said the Iranian attack had come
despite the two sides being close to a deal on Saturday.
“They were giving up everything, and then all of a sudden two hours after that
they hit a ship with a drone,” he said. Iran’s response to the US strikes came
quickly, with sirens and explosions heard in Qatar, the United Arab Emirates and
Bahrain. Qatar said three people were injured by Iranian attacks, while the UAE
issued a warning for incoming missiles but later said they did not enter its
territory. Kuwait also said it was working to intercept an attack, and Jordan
said three Iranian missiles fell inside the kingdom. Iran’s IRGC said it also
hit Oman, which has rarely been targeted. It claimed to have destroyed “the
logistical support centers for naval vessels and the refueling facilities for US
aircraft carriers at the port of Duqm.”Muscat summoned the Iranian ambassador
and handed him a formal protest – a rare move for the sultanate, which has been
attempting to balance competing demands from Washington and Tehran. The attack
came just hours after the country hosted Iran’s foreign minister to discuss the
Strait of Hormuz.
‘Blatant’ attack
Sunday’s attack on a Cyprus-flagged container ship in the waterway left one
Indian sailor missing, New Delhi said.Muscat, meanwhile, said it had rescued 23
crew members from a commercial ship.
Iran said it had fired “warning shots,” but the US military accused Tehran of
“blatantly” attacking the vessel. The crew abandoned ship and were on a
lifeboat, British maritime agency UKMTO reported, around 17 kilometers (10
miles) east of Oman. Separate Iranian strikes on ships in Hormuz had triggered
fighting earlier this week, along with heated rhetoric. Iran’s Supreme Leader
Mojtaba Khamenei has vowed revenge for the killing of his father and predecessor
on the first day of the war, and said Iran had compiled a list of individuals to
be targeted. Trump on Saturday said any attempt to assassinate him would lead
the United States to “completely decimate” Iran. He has declared the ceasefire
over while leaving the door open for talks, and mediators have been trying to
salvage a diplomatic solution. The top diplomat for Pakistan, which has been
mediating, called for “de-escalation” on Sunday during a phone call with his
Iranian counterpart, Islamabad said. “Dialogue and diplomacy remain the only
viable path to resolving disputes and achieving lasting peace,” said Foreign
Minister Ishaq Dar. With AFP
US says it struck 140 Iranian military targets in new round of strikes
Al Arabiya English/12 July ,2026
US forces completed a third round of strikes this week against Iran, the Central
Command said on Sunday in a post on X. They hit approximately 140 Iranian
military targets, the Central Command said, and added that the targets included
Iranian missile and drone sites, naval capabilities, ammunition storage
facilities, communication networks, and coastal surveillance locations.During
three nights of strikes this week, US forces have struck more than 300 targets,
the military added in its statement.The Central Command said the strikes were in
response to the attack on a commercial ship in the Strait of Hormuz. “Commercial
vessel transits through the vital international maritime corridor continue,” it
added. US strikes came hours after Iran said it closed the strait after firing a
warning shot that struck a vessel traveling on an unapproved route. It warned
that any retaliation over the incident would be met with a “severe response.”US
Central Command identified the vessel as the M/V GFS Galaxy, a Cyprus-flagged
container ship, saying it suffered significant engine-room damage and that a
civilian crew member was missing. “Iran made a poor choice. Now they pay,”
Pentagon Chief Pete Hegseth said on X reposting a CENTCOM post on the
attacks.With Reuters
Trump says US hit Iran 'very hard' in latest attacks
LBCI/12 July ,2026
President Donald Trump said Sunday the United States hit Iran hard in response
to its latest attacks on shipping in the Strait of Hormuz. "We hit them very
hard last night," Trump told CNN by telephone in an interview centering mainly
on the death of Senator Lindsey Graham. Trump said the United States and Iran
had been close to "a deal" on Saturday. "They were giving up everything, and
then all of a sudden two hours after that they hit a ship with a drone. These
people, there is something wrong with them," he said. AFP
Projectiles hit Iran's Gulf island of Qeshm: State media
LBCI/12 July ,2026
More than 10 projectiles struck Iran's Gulf island of Qeshm in the strategic
Strait of Hormuz on Sunday, state media reported, as hostilities resumed between
Tehran and Washington.
"Between 10 to 11 enemy projectiles have struck Qeshm Island since Sunday
afternoon," Hossein Amir Teymouri, governor of Qeshm township, told the IRNA
state news agency, adding that "all of the targets were military" and that there
had been no casualties. AFP
Iran strikes Gulf neighbors after new US attacks
Agence France Presse/12 July ,2026
Tehran announced it was closing the Strait of Hormuz on Sunday and launched
missiles and drones at its Gulf neighbours, in retaliation for new U.S. strikes
following an attack by Iranian forces on a merchant vessel that was abandoned in
flames by its crew. Sirens and explosions were heard in Qatar, the United Arab
Emirates and Bahrain, AFP journalists and local authorities reported, the latest
escalation to undermine an interim agreement between Washington and Tehran aimed
at ending the Middle East war. The Pentagon said it had struck Iran early Sunday
after the Revolutionary Guards fired on a Cyprus-registered container ship they
said was sailing an "unauthorised route" through the Strait of Hormuz. The
Guards then said they had hit a second vessel, according to state media,
accusing it of "violating regulations". Iranian media reported explosions in
Bandar Abbas, Sirik, Jask and on Qeshm Island as well as in Khuzestan province,
which borders Iraq, with no immediate reports of casualties. Hours later, air
raid sirens sounded over Bahrain, while the United Arab Emirates and Qatar said
they intercepted missile attacks, with Doha saying three people were injured.
Kuwait also said it was working to intercept an attack, while Jordan said three
Iranian missiles fell on its territory.Iran's Guards said they destroyed "the
logistical support centres for naval vessels and the refuelling facilities for
US aircraft carriers at the port of Duqm in Oman".
'Now they pay'
The Guards had earlier said they struck and stopped a vessel ignoring repeated
instructions to use an approved shipping corridor, according to state news
agency IRNA. "Following this incident... the Strait of Hormuz will be closed
until further notice and until the end of American interventions in this
region," the Guards said. Although Iran called the strike on the ship "warning
shots", the U.S. military said Tehran "blatantly attacked" a Cyprus-flagged
container ship transiting the strait.
A crew member was missing and the vessel had been disabled by fire and damage to
its engine room, US Central Command (CENTCOM) said. The crew abandoned the
vessel and were on a lifeboat, British maritime agency UKMTO reported, adding
the incident occurred around 17 kilometers (10 miles) east of Oman. "In
response, the United States is imposing a heavy cost by continuing to degrade
Iran's ability to attack civilian mariners and commercial ships freely
transiting the strait," it said on X. CENTCOM said later the military had hit
approximately 140 Iranian military targets as it finished the third round of
strikes this week, carried out at the direction of U.S. President Donald
Trump.U.S. defense secretary Pete Hegseth said simply: "Iran made a poor choice.
Now they pay."
Critical strait
Strikes earlier this week by Tehran on vessels in the strait had also triggered
exchanges of fire between Iran and the United States, sparking heated rhetoric
between the adversaries.
The tensions threatened an interim agreement aimed at ending the Middle East
war, which broke out in late February with massive U.S.-Israeli strikes that
killed Iran's former supreme leader Ali Khamenei. A roadblock to a final
agreement is the future of the Strait of Hormuz, which Iran closed to commercial
shipping during the war. The waterway is a key conduit for oil and gas exports
from the Gulf, and its closure during the war has heavily impacted the world
economy. Iran insists on controlling the passage of ships and plans to charge
fees, a stance Washington has rejected. Under customary international law,
states are not generally permitted to charge tolls on straits used for
international navigation.
'Vengeance'
The latest strikes came as Iran's supreme leader Mojtaba Khamenei vowed revenge
for the killing of his father and predecessor. "Vengeance is the will of our
nation and must inevitably be carried out," he said in his first message since
his father's funeral this week. "This matter depends neither on my personal
existence nor on that of other officials. Whether we are present or not, it will
come to pass."Khamenei said Iran had compiled a list of individuals to be
targeted. He has not been seen in public since before the war, and was
reportedly wounded in the strikes that killed his father. Hours earlier, Trump
had posted on his Truth Social platform that any attempt to assassinate him
would lead the United States to "completely decimate" Iran. Trump has declared
their ceasefire over while leaving the door open for talks, and mediators have
been trying to salvage a diplomatic solution.
Kuwait says three border posts, offshore oil platform attacked
AFP/12 July ,2026
Kuwait’s defense ministry said on Sunday that three border posts and an offshore
oil platform were attacked during a fresh exchange of strikes between the United
States and Iran. “Three land border posts in the north of the country were
subjected to a cowardly attack, resulting in material damage,” the statement
said, without specifying the origin of the assault. It added that an “offshore
drilling platform belonging to the Kuwait Oil Company... was targeted by a
hostile drone, resulting in material damage and the injury of one worker.”
Oman summons Iranian ambassador, issues formal protest after attack: State media
AFP/12 July ,2026
Oman on Sunday issued a formal protest to the Iranian ambassador following an
attack on the country, state media reported, in a rare instance of it publicly
accusing Tehran of targeting its territory. “Oman expresses its profound dismay
at these irresponsible acts, and underscores the imperative of adhering to the
provisions of state sovereignty, good neighborliness, non-interference in
internal affairs,” the state news agency said in a post on social media, just a
day after Oman hosted the Iranian foreign minister for talks on the Strait of
Hormuz.
Saudi FM, Arab counterparts condemn Iranian attacks
Al Arabiya English/13 July ,2026
Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan held phone calls on Sunday with
his counterparts from Qatar, Oman, Bahrain and Jordan, during which they
condemned Iran’s repeated attacks on countries in the region. “During the calls,
they reviewed the latest developments in the region and reaffirmed their
condemnation of the repeated Iranian attacks against countries in the region, as
well as their rejection of any actions that could undermine the sovereignty of
states or threaten the region’s security and stability,” the Saudi Press Agency
(SPA) reported. The ministers also discussed efforts to restore security, reduce
tensions and ensure freedom of navigation through the Strait of Hormuz, SPA
added. The calls came after Iran declared the Strait of Hormuz closed on Sunday,
while the United States insisted that the vital waterway remained open, as
renewed tensions over the strait triggered another exchange of US and Iranian
strikes. The strait, which is crucial to global oil and gas supplies, has
emerged as a central point of contention between Tehran and Washington. The two
sides have repeatedly exchanged fire despite an agreement reached last month
aimed at ending the wider Middle East war. The latest exchange was prompted by
another Iranian attack on a commercial ship in the waterway whose crew was
forced to abandon it after it went up in flames. Iran said it had targeted two
ships in the strait, accusing them of ignoring instructions to use an approved
transit corridor or of “violating regulations,” according to state news agency
IRNA. The attacks prompted a barrage of US strikes across Iran, with the US
military saying it had hit about 140 targets in its third round of attacks this
week. Iran responded swiftly, with sirens and explosions reported in Qatar, the
United Arab Emirates and Bahrain. Qatar said three people were injured in the
Iranian attacks. The UAE issued a warning about incoming missiles but later said
they had not entered its territory. Kuwait said it was working to intercept an
attack, while Jordan reported that three Iranian missiles had fallen inside the
kingdom. Iran’s military also said it had struck Oman, which maintains
particularly close relations with Tehran and has rarely been targeted.
New Syrian parliament meets for first time in Damascus
Al Arabiya English/12 July ,2026
Syria’s new parliament convened for the first time on Sunday, 19 months after
opposition forces led by President Ahmed al-Sharaa toppled Bashar al-Assad, a
milestone in the country’s political transition despite the chamber’s current
limited powers. Al-Sharaa, in a speech at parliament in Damascus, told lawmakers
to “make this council a model of responsibility and competence” and described it
as “a platform for truth and justice.”“Syria is writing a glorious history that
reflects its heroism, and we face the responsibility of building both the nation
and the individual,” he said. The parliament has been seen as a test of al-Sharaa’s
pledge to build an inclusive new order in Syria, which was run as a police state
by the al-Assad family for decades, with a legislative chamber that was seen as
a rubber stamp.Under the country’s interim governing arrangements, two-thirds of
the members of the 210-seat chamber were chosen last year by regional electoral
colleges, while al-Sharaa named the remaining third on July 1.Officials have
said this system was necessary because years of war had left millions displaced
and made it impossible to rely on accurate population records or voter rolls.
Critics say it gave the executive branch extensive control over the selection
process.
Al-Sharaa has said he supports holding general elections once infrastructure and
documentation allow. A temporary constitutional declaration introduced in 2025
granted parliament limited authorities, and there is no requirement for the
government to win a parliamentary vote of confidence.
The Assembly can propose and approve laws. It has a 30-month term that is
renewable, and it assumes legislative authority until a permanent constitution
is adopted and elections are organized. Abdel Halim al-Awak, a member of the
committee that drafted the constitutional declaration, was elected speaker with
99 votes.Al-Sharaa has said the parliament will be tasked with forming a
committee to draft a new constitution. A former al-Qaeda militant, al-Sharaa has
reshaped Syria since toppling al-Assad, building close ties with Western states
and vowing a new era of freedoms, though his first year in power was jolted by
several bouts of violence pitting pro-government fighters against members of
minority groups. The chamber has 21 female lawmakers – 15 of whom were among
those nominated by al-Sharaa, who severed ties with al-Qaeda in 2016.
Authorities have not issued a breakdown of how many lawmakers hail from ethnic
and religious minorities.Unofficial tallies have shown that 10 of the seats
chosen last year went to members of religious and ethnic minorities, including
Kurds, Christians and Alawites – the sect to which al-Assad belongs. Four of the
seats are vacant because one lawmaker died, while three others reserved for the
predominantly Druze province of Sweida have yet to be filled. Authorities have
said the selection of lawmakers for Sweida has been postponed until “conditions
become suitable.” The area has remained outside state control since government
forces and allied fighters clashed with Druze there last July, with some 1,700
people killed, according to the United Nations.With Reuters
Israeli attacks in Gaza kill six people, including a girl,
medics say
Reuters/12 July ,2026
Israeli attacks killed at least six people in the Gaza Strip on Sunday,
including a 9-year-old girl, Palestinian health officials said, as mediators
held more talks to safeguard the US-brokered ceasefire. Medics said Israeli
gunfire directed at a tent encampment on the eastern side of the Al-Bureij
refugee camp in central Gaza killed 9-year-old Tala Abu Matar. The Israeli
military said it was not aware of the incident.An airstrike at a metal foundry
in Gaza City’s Sabra neighborhood killed four people. Witnesses said the site
was hit with three Israeli missiles. Israel’s military told Reuters it had
struck “terrorist” infrastructure, without giving further details. Separately,
the military said that since Thursday its forces had killed at least two Hamas
fighters in northern Gaza who were planning attacks on its troops.Later on
Sunday, an Israeli strike at a tent encampment in the Mawasi area of Khan Younis,
in the south, killed at least one person and wounded several others, including
children, medics said. Israel’s military did not immediately comment.
Talks deadlocked
The ceasefire agreed in October 2025 between Israel and Hamas halted major
fighting in the enclave, but it has failed to stop Israeli attacks that have
killed more than 1,000. Palestinians since it took effect. Four Israeli soldiers
have been killed by militants in Gaza over the same period. The latest violence
comes as Hamas leaders visited Cairo for further talks over implementing the
second phase of US President Donald Trump’s Gaza peace plan. The discussions
include Hamas disarmament and Israeli army withdrawals, according to sources
close to the talks, adding that there had not yet been a breakthrough. Nearly
all of Gaza’s 2 million people, most of whom have been displaced several times,
now live on a tiny strip of land along the coast, mainly in makeshift tents or
damaged buildings, under Hamas control. Hamas-led fighters killed 1,200 people
during their cross-border attack into Israel on October 7, 2023, according to
Israeli tallies. The Gaza health ministry said more than 73,000 Palestinians
have been killed in the territory since then.
Israel elections to be held on October 27, parliament says
AFP/12 July ,2026
Israel will hold national elections on October 27, the last date allowed by law,
its parliament said on Sunday, with the vote widely seen as a referendum on
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s leadership since the Gaza war erupted. The
Knesset, as parliament is known, is set to end its current term on July 17,
allowing the ruling coalition to complete a full four-year term for the first
time in decades. “Since the current Knesset is expected to serve its full term
and the next general election is already set by law for October 27, with no
intention of shortening the legislature’s tenure, there is no need to enact a
Knesset Dissolution Law in the usual sense,” parliament said in a statement.
Netanyahu, 76, is already the country’s longest-serving prime minister, having
served multiple, non-consecutive terms, and has declared his intention to run
again.He has said he “intends to win” the election, setting the stage for what
could be the defining contest of his political life. In recent days, his
government – one of the most right-wing coalitions in Israel’s history – has
been racing to pass a series of bills in a bid to shore up his alliance and
enter the election from a position of strength. Last month, Netanyahu even said
that he intended to “establish a broad national government, not a right-wing,
not a left-wing government that depends on Arab parties, but a broad national
government.”By reaching across the aisle, Netanyahu appears to be trying to
reframe his electoral pitch around national unity rather than ideological
alignment. But recent polls show that a majority of Israelis want him out of
office, with former military chief Gadi Eisenkot emerging as his main rival.
Key issues
A recent poll by the Hebrew University of Jerusalem found that more than 92
percent of Israelis believe Iran had won the Middle East war, and support for
Netanyahu’s premiership plummeted from 40.5 percent in early March to 29.4
percent in June. Public opinion turned critical of the ceasefire that halted the
war Israel and the US launched against Iran in late February, which led to a
deal between Tehran and Washington that many view as unfavorable to Israel.
Anger also lingers over the security failures surrounding the October 7 attacks,
which continues to weigh on Netanyahu’s standing. Voter sentiment is expected to
be affected by a bitter dispute over whether ultra-Orthodox Jewish men should
serve in the military. Netanyahu’s key allies had repeatedly threatened to
topple the current government unless their constituents were exempted from the
draft, while the Israeli military and much of the public argue that broad
enlistment is necessary, after years of wars have left the armed forces
stretched thin. The other flashpoints are judicial reforms that he initiated
before the Gaza war erupted, his own ongoing corruption trials and uncertainty
over Gaza’s post-war governance.
The wars against Hezbollah and Iran have created a politically complicated
backdrop for Netanyahu. He said, however, that the government he envisaged
forming after elections would help complete Israel’s regional ambitions. “After
we have removed the Iranian existential threat, the broad national government
can make peace within ourselves, deal with the remnants of the Iranian axis and
reap the fruits of our victory in political agreements like the one we are
making with Lebanon – and there are a few more on the way,” he said. Netanyahu’s
remarks suggest he intends to use Israel’s military campaign against Iran and
Lebanese militant group Hezbollah as the centerpiece of his election narrative,
pivoting from a fragile ideological coalition to a broader, security-anchored
governing mandate.
Qatar's former leader Hamad bin Khalifa dies at 74
Agence France Presse/12 July ,2026
Qatar's government on Sunday announced the death of former leader Sheikh Hamad
bin Khalifa Al Thani, who led the country from 1995 to 2013. He was 74,
according to a government website. "With hearts steadfast in faith in God's
decree and destiny, the Bureau of the Emir mourns the great loss to the nation
of the late -- may God have mercy on him -- His Highness the Father Amir Sheikh
Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani," read a statement published by the emir's office on
social media. The former leader was seen as one of the key architects of modern
Qatar and led the country during a period of rapid economic growth. Sheikh Hamad
took power in June 1995, overthrowing his father in a bloodless coup while the
latter was abroad. He inherited a small, largely marginal emirate with nearly
empty coffers and transformed it into a major player on the regional and
international stage. Within a few years, he laid the foundations for Qatar's
rapid development. Although the country is only about one-third the size of
Belgium, it possesses one of the world's largest natural gas reserves. Thanks to
investments and international partnerships, the emirate became a leading
producer and exporter of liquefied natural gas. It also rose to become one of
the wealthiest countries on the planet in terms of GDP per capita. Qatar's
population under Sheikh Hamad's rule numbered barely two million, the majority
of them foreign nationals. During his time in office, Al-Jazeera was launched in
1996, following a decree issued by the emir, with the international broadcaster
becoming one of the most influential media outlets in the region. The Qatar
Investment Authority was established with the aim of investing billions of
dollars, particularly abroad, in companies including German automaker
Volkswagen, London's luxury department store Harrods, and French football club
Paris Saint-Germain. Sheikh Hamad was still emir when Qatar was awarded the
right to host the 2022 FIFA World Cup in 2010, amid allegations of corruption
and, later, criticism over the treatment of foreign workers. Also under his
reign, Qatar began paying hundreds of millions of dollars to the Gaza Strip,
notably funding road projects along the coast. A hospital in Gaza City bears his
name. In June 2013, Sheikh Hamad surprised many by voluntarily abdicating in
favour of his son, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, a first in the recent
history of the Arab world. Qatar is one of the smallest Arab states with a
population of around 3 million, most of whom are foreign workers. The country
was a British protectorate for 55 years until 1971. It has been ruled by a
monarchy, the Al Thani family, since the mid-19th century.
Iraqi prime minister to visit Washington on Monday; oil and gas deals expected
Reuters/12 July ,2026
Iraq’s prime minister will visit Washington on Monday to deepen strategic ties
with the United States, with oil and gas deals expected to be signed as part of
a broader push for economic, trade and investment cooperation. Iraq has been
seeking to balance its ties with neighboring Iran and the US as military
escalation between the two rivals continues. “The agreements to be signed will
include several memorandums of understanding in the oil and gas sector as Iraq
prepares to bring in various US companies that will provide momentum to increase
oil production capacity,” government spokesperson Haider al-Aboudi said. Iraq’s
state news agency, citing al-Aboudi, said the planned oil and gas agreements
would also seek to create alternative export outlets to reduce Iraq’s exposure
to disruptions in the Strait of Hormuz.Iraq, like other Gulf oil producers, has
suffered a drop in oil revenue due to the effective closure of the vital
shipping route during the US-Iran war. Al-Aboudi said strengthening Iraq’s armed
forces would also be among the issues discussed in Washington. Relations between
Iraq and the US have at times been strained over the presence of US troops in
Iraq, Baghdad’s ties with Iran, and US pressure on Iraq to curb the influence of
Iran-backed armed groups. However, after being nominated for the premiership in
April, Ali al-Zaidi received congratulations from US President Donald Trump, who
said he hoped for closer cooperation between Baghdad and Washington.
Sudan court sentences RSF leader to death in absentia
AFP/12 July ,2026
A court in Sudan’s army-controlled city of Port Sudan on Sunday sentenced
paramilitary leader Mohamed Hamdan Daglo and 15 others to death in absentia over
charges of killing a regional governor and war crimes in Darfur, state media
reported. The ruling, issued by a judiciary functioning under the army, is the
first against the leadership of the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) since war broke
out between the paramilitary group and the Sudanese army in April 2023.The court
convicted Daglo and the other defendants of war crimes, crimes against humanity,
genocide and attacks on civilians and public facilities, state news agency SUNA
reported. Those sentenced include Daglo’s brother and deputy, Abdelrahim Hamdan
Daglo, as well as several RSF officers and tribal leaders from Arab communities
in West Darfur. The case centers on the killing of West Darfur governor Khamis
Abbakar in June 2023, shortly after RSF forces seized El-Geneina, the state
capital. Abbakar was killed hours after accusing the RSF and allied militias of
carrying out attacks against civilians. UN experts determined that between
10,000 and 15,000 people, mostly from the Massalit ethnic group, were killed in
El-Geneina during the violence. The RSF has repeatedly denied allegations of
genocide and other war crimes. The court said it would refer the case to the
Supreme Court for review and seek the arrest and extradition of those convicted
through Interpol and other international channels.Sudanese army leader Abdel
Fattah al-Burhan and Daglo had jointly led the 2021 coup that derailed Sudan’s
transition to civilian rule, before falling out over plans to integrate the RSF
into the regular army, a dispute that eventually led to war. Now in its fourth
year, the conflict between the army and the RSF has killed tens of thousands of
people, displaced more than 11 million and triggered what the United Nations
describes as the world’s largest displacement and hunger crises.
The Latest LCCC analysis & editorials from
miscellaneous sources published
on 12-13 July/2026
After Khamenei, Nothing Has Changed -
But It Might
Pierre Rehov/Gatestone Institute/July 12, 2026
Iran, in exchange, reaffirmed that it would not develop nuclear weapons and
agreed to leave its nuclear program exactly as it stands -- meaning with its
nuclear installations and centrifuges to enrich uranium safely under Pickaxe
Mountain.
The last four months were the exhaustion of a method rather than a failure of
nerve. The Trump method flattered the adversary, let him believe he had won,
dragged him to the table under threat of force, changed course without warning
and staged unpredictability as strategy. All that might work remarkably well in
the West, where leaders answer to electorates, markets and quarterly reports. It
presupposes, however, an interlocutor who counts costs the way Washington counts
costs.
The Islamic Republic counts by another arithmetic....
A power such as the US that cries wolf on Tuesday and extends the deadline on
Thursday teaches a system such as Iran's exactly one lesson: that the wolf does
not exist. Iran's rulers read the American desire for a deal, especially before
a midterm election, as weakness, which by that arithmetic it was. Trump, who
kept repeating that he wanted a deal -- in that way raising the price for one --
seemed genuinely trying to test ways not to destroy more of Iran. Last week, he
gave up on that.
After Khamenei, nothing has changed in Iran, where the doctrine, the gallows and
the wager on Western fatigue are those of February. What finally changed, last
week, is Washington.
After the death of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, nothing has changed in
Iran, where the doctrine, the gallows and the wager on Western fatigue are those
of February. What finally changed, last week, is Washington.
The West has long nurtured the conviction that a regime dies with its ruler. On
February 28, American and Israeli aircraft, in a joint operation prepared over
months, killed Iran's Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei together with the chief of
staff of the armed forces, the commander of the Revolutionary Guard Corps, the
defense minister and Khamenei's closest adviser, thereby erasing the command
structure of the Islamic Republic in a single morning. US President Donald Trump
promised to "annihilate their navy" and level Iran's missile industry.
Across the West, and among Iranians whose January uprising had been drowned in
blood only weeks earlier, an immense hope took hold. The theocracy, at last,
seemed gone.
Ten days later, the Assembly of Experts installed Mojtaba Khamenei -- who was
severely wounded or possibly "eliminated" as well -- in his father's chair.
Since February 28, he has not been seen in public. The Islamic Republic, for its
part, had transmitted itself like a monarchy, dynastically, while the missiles
were still in the air. This week, as his father's coffin crossed Iran and Iraq
in a six-day state funeral, with Mojtaba Khamenei still nowhere to be seen,
crowds chanted for revenge and hanged the American president in effigy. The
clerics always knew what Washington seems to have taken four months to accept:
the regime was never lodged in one man but rather in a clergy, a security
apparatus and a doctrine, and all three came through the bombs intact.
What followed inside Iran removed any remaining doubt. In June alone, 141
executions were recorded, the overwhelming majority carried out in silence,
without announcement, without due process, and without notice to families or
lawyers. Between mid-March and late April, at least 22 political prisoners were
hanged, ten of them protesters seized during the January uprising, at a speed of
one execution every two days, with 17-year-olds now on death row in addition to
them. Since February 28, more than 6,000 people have been arbitrarily arrested
under the official cover of "wartime conditions," while the population endured
an 88-day internet shutdown, the longest ever recorded anywhere. Decapitated,
the regime kills more than before.
Militarily, the Islamic Republic of Iran lost almost everything it was possible
to lose: its leadership, its air defenses, its nuclear installations, its navy
ships. Its answer was neither surrender nor counteroffensive but the clock.
Tehran closed the Strait of Hormuz, mined it, installed "tolls" and fees -- for
"protection" -- attacked shipping, then settled in to wait, reading the American
calendar with more attention than Washington was reading Iran.
Trump wanted a deal, said so openly, and for four months gave Tehran every
chance a negotiating partner has ever been given. Deadlines were set for March
21, then March 23, then April 7, and each time extended. Talks in Islamabad
collapsed. A naval blockade followed, then an escort operation, announced and
suspended within days. Tehran had learned to read the expiration date stamped on
every American threat.
The non-binding Islamabad Memorandum of Understanding, signed on June 17 -- the
American signature added during a dinner at Versailles -- reads less like terms
imposed on a defeated enemy than like the wish list of a victorious Iran. Its 14
points commit the United States to lifting its naval blockade within 30 days,
ending sanctions, releasing frozen Iranian assets, and assembling with regional
partners a reconstruction plan worth at least $300 billion. Iran, in exchange,
reaffirmed that it would not develop nuclear weapons and agreed to leave its
nuclear program exactly as it stands -- meaning with its nuclear installations
and centrifuges to enrich uranium safely under Pickaxe Mountain. Dismantling
Iran's nuclear program appears nowhere in the text. In addition, 440 kgs
(970lbs) of uranium enriched to 60% -- nearly at weapons grade -- are to be
"blended down," presumably later to be enriched again. Enrichment was deferred
to a final agreement to be negotiated within 60 days. The enforcement mechanism
was summarized by the president himself: "If it doesn't get done in 60 days...
we go back to bombing."
The ink was barely dry before the violations resumed. Three days after the
signing, Iran, citing Israeli operations against Hezbollah in Lebanon, declared
the Strait of Hormuz closed once more. The follow-up talks in Switzerland were
postponed. When they finally opened, Iranian negotiators conceded nothing on
enrichment. Hezbollah, which entered the war two days after Khamenei's death,
kept attacking Israeli forces in Lebanon, thereby handing Tehran a permanent
pretext to shut the strait whenever the negotiations required pressure.
Last week, the pattern ran its course. Iran asked the US for a special week of
quiet for the funeral of Khamenei -- then began firing missiles at commercial
ships in the strait. On June 6, Washington reimposed the oil sanctions it had
waived. Iran launched missiles at American bases in Bahrain and Kuwait. At the
NATO summit in Turkey, Trump finally said: "I think it's over. I don't want to
deal with them anymore. They're scum." The Iranian foreign minister had spent
the previous day invoking paragraph 13 of the MOU and demanding that Washington
honor its signature: an arsonist quoting the fire code while the tankers burned.
The last four months were the exhaustion of a method rather than a failure of
nerve. The Trump method flattered the adversary, let him believe he had won,
dragged him to the table under threat of force, changed course without warning
and staged unpredictability as strategy. All that might work remarkably well in
the West, where leaders answer to electorates, markets and quarterly reports. It
presupposes, however, an interlocutor who counts costs the way Washington counts
costs.
The Islamic Republic counts by another arithmetic, drawn from its revolutionary
jurisprudence. Time costs nothing, and survival itself, especially against a
"Great Satan," the US, is a triumph. Deceiving the enemy across a negotiating
table carries doctrinal sanction, not shame. Honor and pride outrank comfort,
prosperity and the future itself, and above every calculation sits religion and
a commitment to take down the West.
A power such as the US that cries wolf on Tuesday and extends the deadline on
Thursday teaches a system such as Iran's exactly one lesson: that the wolf does
not exist. Iran's rulers read the American desire for a deal, especially before
a midterm election, as weakness, which by that arithmetic it was. Trump, who
kept repeating that he wanted a deal -- in that way raising the price for one --
seemed genuinely trying to test ways not to destroy more of Iran. Last week, he
gave up on that.
The return to peace through strength comes as a relief. Israel absorbed Trump's
and Vice President JD Vance's insults while Washington negotiated. Each time
Tehran wanted to make a point, Gulf capitals were struck. Thousands of sailors
are still stranded aboard ships trapped in the Gulf. Brave Iranians who rose in
January went to the gallows while the world discussed sanctions relief.
The Strait of Hormuz and no nuclear weapons for Iran -- ever -- remain key. The
Pentagon has held the answer since March: plans to seize Kharg Island, the
terminal through which 90% of Iranian crude oil passes. Marine expeditionary
units were moved into the region seemingly for such operations, and the decision
so long deferred is now the only card left. Round three has begun. After
Khamenei, nothing has changed in Iran, where the doctrine, the gallows and the
wager on Western fatigue are those of February. What finally changed, last week,
is Washington.
Pierre Rehov, who holds a law degree from Paris-Assas, is a French reporter,
novelist and documentary filmmaker. He is the author of six novels, including
"Beyond Red Lines", "The Third Testament" and "Red Eden", translated from
French. His latest essay on the aftermath of the October 7 massacre " 7 octobre
- La riposte " became a bestseller in France. As a filmmaker, he has produced
and directed 17 documentaries, many photographed at high risk in Middle Eastern
war zones, and focusing on terrorism, media bias, and the persecution of
Christians. His latest documentary, "Pogrom(s)" highlights the context of
ancient Jew hatred within Muslim civilization as the main force behind the
October 7 massacre.
© 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.
Question: Does God require Sabbath-keeping of Christians?
GotQuestions.org/July 12/2026
Answer: In Colossians 2:16-17, the apostle Paul declares, “Therefore do not let
anyone judge you by what you eat or drink, or with regard to a religious
festival, a New Moon celebration or a Sabbath day. These are a shadow of the
things that were to come; the reality, however, is found in Christ.” Similarly,
Romans 14:5 states, “One man considers one day more sacred than another; another
man considers every day alike. Each one should be fully convinced in his own
mind.” These Scriptures make it clear that, for the Christian, Sabbath-keeping
is a matter of spiritual freedom, not a command from God. Sabbath-keeping is an
issue on which God’s Word instructs us not to judge each other. Sabbath-keeping
is a matter about which each Christian needs to be fully convinced in his/her
own mind. In the early chapters of the book of Acts, the first Christians were
predominantly Jews. When Gentiles began to receive the gift of salvation through
Jesus Christ, the Jewish Christians had a dilemma. What aspects of the Mosaic
Law and Jewish tradition should Gentile Christians be instructed to obey? The
apostles met and discussed the issue in the Jerusalem council (Acts 15). The
decision was, “It is my judgment, therefore, that we should not make it
difficult for the Gentiles who are turning to God. Instead we should write to
them, telling them to abstain from food polluted by idols, from sexual
immorality, from the meat of strangled animals and from blood” (Acts 15:19-20).
Sabbath-keeping was not one of the commands the apostles felt was necessary to
force on Gentile believers. It is inconceivable that the apostles would neglect
to include Sabbath-keeping if it was God’s command for Christians to observe the
Sabbath day.
A common error in the Sabbath-keeping debate is the concept that the Sabbath was
the day of worship. Groups such as the Seventh Day Adventists hold that God
requires the church service to be held on Saturday, the Sabbath day. That is not
what the Sabbath command was. The Sabbath command was to do no work on the
Sabbath day (Exodus 20:8-11). Yes, Jews in Old Testament, New Testament, and
modern times use Saturday as the day of worship, but that is not the essence of
the Sabbath command. In the book of Acts, whenever a meeting is said to be on
the Sabbath, it is a meeting of Jews and/or Gentile converts to Judaism, not
Christians. When did the early Christians meet? Acts 2:46-47 gives us the
answer, “Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They
broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts,
praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. And the Lord added to
their number daily those who were being saved.” If there was a day that
Christians met regularly, it was the first day of the week (our Sunday), not the
Sabbath day (our Saturday) (Acts 20:7; 1 Corinthians 16:2). In honor of Christ’s
resurrection on Sunday, the early Christians observed Sunday not as the
“Christian Sabbath” but as a day to especially worship Jesus Christ. Is there
anything wrong with worshiping on Saturday, the Jewish Sabbath? Absolutely not!
We should worship God every day, not just on Saturday or Sunday! Many churches
today have both Saturday and Sunday services. There is freedom in Christ (Romans
8:21; 2 Corinthians 3:17; Galatians 5:1). Should a Christian practice
Sabbath-keeping, that is, not working on Saturdays? If a Christian feels led to
do so, absolutely, yes (Romans 14:5). However, those who choose to practice
Sabbath-keeping should not judge those who do not keep the Sabbath (Colossians
2:16). Further, those who do not keep the Sabbath should avoid being a stumbling
block (1 Corinthians 8:9) to those who do keep the Sabbath. Galatians 5:13-15
sums up the whole issue: “You, my brothers, were called to be free. But do not
use your freedom to indulge the sinful nature; rather, serve one another in
love. The entire law is summed up in a single command: ‘Love your neighbor as
yourself.’ If you keep on biting and devouring each other, watch out or you will
be destroyed by each other.”
America’s realignment with allies, adversaries after Ankara
summit
Raghida Dergham/Al Arabiya English/July 12/2026
The NATO summit in Ankara marked the moment the United States shifted from
fighting a mutilated war with Iran to pursuing a strategy of sustained attrition
– one that combines recurring military strikes, economic strangulation, and the
gradual erosion of Iran’s ability to use the Strait of Hormuz and its regional
proxies as instruments for imposing its terms on Washington.That was the
strategic transformation that emerged from Ankara. Donald Trump did not announce
a new war. He did not return to the policy of retreat that characterized earlier
phases of the confrontation, nor did he cling to the memorandum of understanding
with Tehran.Instead, he launched a different approach: Successive waves of
military strikes, followed by pauses designed not to give Iran more time, but to
test whether Tehran was prepared to negotiate seriously. If Iran continues to
stall and buy time, another wave follows, and then another. Washington can now
sustain such a strategy because its military forces remain deployed across the
region, maritime sanctions can be reimposed, and the Strait of Hormuz no longer
appears to be firmly under Iran’s strategic control. The Ankara summit gave this
transformation an Atlantic political umbrella. Europe adopted a more flexible
approach toward Washington’s policy on Iran, while NATO effectively endorsed
American freedom of action in the Strait of Hormuz and in protecting maritime
security and global energy flows. European governments have little interest in
confronting Donald Trump ahead of the US midterm elections or turning
disagreements with him into part of America’s domestic political battle. They
have learned to manage an unconventional American president without abandoning
their own interests. At the same time, they continue strengthening Europe’s
defense industrial base in order to reduce long-term dependence on the United
States while remaining firmly within the Atlantic Alliance. The United States
also demonstrated that its commitment to NATO remains solid. Predictions of an
American withdrawal from the Alliance have lost credibility. The disagreements
with Spain and Italy remained political and personal rather than strategic.The
Alliance’s cohesion was demonstrated through its expanded military and financial
support for Ukraine and through its acceptance of attacks against Russian energy
infrastructure as an integral part of a broader strategy of attrition against
Moscow.
Russia emerged from Ankara facing a reality fundamentally different from what it
believed had been achieved in Anchorage. Vladimir Putin had hoped for a
strategic understanding with Donald Trump that would ease pressure on Moscow and
reset relations with Washington. Ankara effectively buried that expectation.
Support for Ukraine expanded, attacks on Russian refineries became part of
accepted Western strategy, and Russia’s fuel shortages and rising domestic
prices increasingly became political and psychological burdens visible to
ordinary Russians, not merely to the governing elite.
The message to Putin was unmistakable: the relationship with Trump would not
evolve as Moscow had anticipated. China, meanwhile, was the deliberate absentee
from NATO’s final communiqué. It was neither identified as an adversary nor
targeted by hostile language. This reflected Trump’s determination to preserve
stable relations with Xi Jinping ahead of their expected meeting in Washington
later this year. Managing China has become a separate American priority,
distinct from Washington’s confrontation with Iran and Russia.
Recep Tayyip Erdogan emerged as another political beneficiary of the summit. By
hosting NATO while simultaneously arranging the meeting between Syrian President
Ahmad al-Sharaa and Donald Trump, he reinforced Turkey’s role as the
indispensable bridge between Europe and the Middle East. His deliberate decision
not to criticize Israel reflected an understanding with Washington that
prevented a Turkish position from becoming an Atlantic position and avoided
introducing divisions over Israel into the summit itself.
Iran, however, remained the central strategic issue. Trump returned to the
language he used at the outset of the war, accusing Iran’s leadership of
deception while declaring the memorandum of understanding effectively finished.
Tehran needed that memorandum far more than Washington did. It was never simply
about buying time. It was about money: access to frozen assets, sanctions
relief, economic breathing space, and even compensation for wartime damage.
Iran’s economy continues to deteriorate. Inflation, unemployment, and financial
exhaustion threaten not only the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps’ ability to
finance its military capabilities and regional proxies but also the stability of
the regime itself.
American strikes targeted the military capabilities linked to Iranian control of
the Strait of Hormuz, including radar systems essential for maintaining
operational dominance over the waterway. Destroying those capabilities altered
Washington’s calculations. If Iran loses the practical ability to control
Hormuz, it loses its most powerful instrument of strategic coercion. The Strait
ceases to be Iran’s greatest asset and instead becomes its greatest liability.
Reimposing maritime sanctions against Iranian ports therefore becomes a logical
next step following the collapse of the memorandum. Ending arrangements that
allowed Iranian oil exports restores economic strangulation to the center of
American strategy. Kharg Island has also returned to military planning. From the
outset, American military planners viewed it as the decisive economic and
strategic center of gravity. Disabling Kharg would severely undermine Iran’s
capacity to export oil, finance the state, and sustain the Revolutionary Guard.
How fiber-optic drones are changing the face of modern
warfare
Jonathan Gornall/Arab News/July 12, 2026
A battlefield innovation perfected in Ukraine is spreading to Lebanon, defeating
electronic jamming and catching Israeli troops by surprise
Experts say fiber-optic drones have transformed warfare, leaving militaries
racing to develop effective countermeasures
LONDON: Israel is scrambling to counter a new battlefield threat after
Hezbollah’s growing use of fiber-optic drones — a weapon many experts say has
fundamentally changed modern warfare — exposed a dangerous gap in its defenses.
Cheap, difficult to detect and immune to electronic jamming, the drones have
become one of the defining weapons of the war in Ukraine and are now appearing
in conflicts elsewhere, including southern Lebanon. On April 26, the Israel
Defense Force suffered its first known fatalities from a fiber optic drone when
one soldier was killed and six others wounded after their position in southern
Lebanon was struck. Hezbollah later released footage of the attack filmed by the
drone. According to reports, at least a dozen Israeli soldiers have since been
killed by the drones after fighting in Lebanon resumed in March. Unlike
conventional first-person-view drones, fiber-optic versions are connected to
their operators by an ultra-thin cable that reels out behind them as they fly.
The cable acts as an umbilical cord between the operator’s control console and
the drone, carrying commands and high-definition video without relying on radio
signals that can be jammed.
Some can carry up to 50 kilometers of cable. Flying low, fast and almost
silently, they are exceptionally difficult to detect, track or shoot down.
According to Jonathan Lippert, president of Defense Tech for Ukraine, “soldiers
have told DTU that fiber drones now make up 70 percent or more of the enemy’s
first-person-view drone attacks and cause more than half of overall
casualties.”To date, he added, “there are currently no dependable defenses in
widespread use against fiber drones, beyond hiding.”The fiber-optic drone, said
Lippert, “is definitely a game-changer.” Compared with
radio-frequency-controlled drones, “it’s much harder to know that it’s coming,
and so it’s very common to be completely surprised by it, and also to be unable
to do something about it.”Increasingly, both sides in Ukraine use these drones
as ambush weapons. Operators fly them to roadsides or likely avenues of approach
before placing almost every onboard system into standby mode to conserve power.
Because transmitting through fiber consumes far less energy than radio, the
drone can wait for up to 24 hours while still “transmitting beautiful
high-definition video.”
When a target appears, it launches its attack with only seconds of warning.
On its website, DTU recounts the experience of a Ukrainian soldier injured in a
Russian fiber-drone ambush.He “told us that his team had become quite adept at
shooting radio frequency-controlled drones approaching them, since the drones
approached from enough distance and altitude to give them enough advance notice
to aim and fire off several rounds each. “But in the fiber ambush, he estimated
there were as few as three seconds total from the drone starting to move until
its impact.”Although the extra weight of the fiber spool limits the explosive
payload, the drones excel against troops, light vehicles and defensive
positions: “It’s best against manpower, light armor and stockpiles,” said
Lippert. Their maneuverability makes them particularly dangerous. “They are
really good for going inside structures that are normally harder to reach
otherwise,” he said. “You can go in the open door of a well-reinforced bunker
that’s resistant to air attack and wind your way down tunnels and make turns,
which you could never do with a radio frequency drone. It’s quite stunning to
watch. “I have also seen them go down into a trench, turn left, go through the
entrance of a covered portion, and kind of go down into the bowels and just pick
out someone inside there who thought they were quite safe.”
The technology first emerged in Ukraine in 2024.
Lippert says fiber-optic-controlled drones “were adapted into the current form
originally by the Chinese. My understanding is they were marketing them even
before even the full-scale invasion (of Ukraine) happened, but at that time
there was no demand for them.”That changed in March 2024 when Russian forces
introduced their own version. Russia demonstrated the drones’ effectiveness
during Ukraine’s Kursk offensive in August 2024. “This got some publicity on
social media, somebody in our network saw that and he took it upon himself to
try to reverse-engineer it to get it to Ukraine,” Lippert said. DTU supported
the effort. “The first successful Ukrainian use was supported by my organization
... and that was at the beginning of October 2024.”Today, he said: “I think the
Russians probably still have an advantage, but it’s not an overwhelming
advantage anymore. It’s close to parity.”Although these drones are transforming
today’s battlefield, the principle behind them dates back to the Second World
War. Nazi Germany developed the Ruhrstahl X-4, the world’s first wire-guided
air-to-air missile, designed to let Luftwaffe fighters attack Allied bombers
from beyond defensive gun range.
Although never used in combat, it influenced later systems including the BGM-71
TOW — “tube-launched, optically tracked, wire-guided” — which has remained in
service from Vietnam to the present day. The technology is leaving another
legacy across Ukraine.
When the drones explode, the fiber cable remains draped across fields, forests
and towns, creating vast webs of plastic waste. Images circulating on social
media show landscapes blanketed in the discarded strands, while birds have even
begun weaving the cable into nests.
Lippert acknowledges the environmental cost: “It’s unfortunate, but this kind of
thing happens when you’re fighting for your freedom, for your way of life.”
The Conflict and Environment Observatory warns: “Plastic pollution from fiber
optic drones may threaten wildlife for years.”Like abandoned fishing line,
“fiber optic cable could become wrapped around the necks of animals causing
amputation, asphyxiation or starvation.”
People and even vehicles have also become entangled in the cables. The spread of
the technology has triggered an international search for effective
countermeasures. In March, Britain’s Ministry of Defence sought novel ideas to
detect and defeat fiber optically controlled uncrewed aerial systems.
NATO also launched an innovation challenge focused on detecting and defeating
fiber-optic FPV drones, with winning proposals ranging from artificial
intelligence-enabled radar software to autonomous turrets and remote weapon
stations. Meanwhile, Israel continues searching for immediate answers.Some
reports suggest Hezbollah is producing the drones locally using 3D printing and
commercially available dual-use components. As Israeli defense firms work on
technological countermeasures, troops have been forced to rely on mesh netting
and even shotguns.
But first they have to see the drones coming.
Israel’s Netanyahu: architect of wars, master of survival
AFP/July 12, 2026
Netanyahu served in Israel’s commando unit and fought in the 1973 Arab-Israeli
war
Netanyahu built his entire career on a single promise: that he alone could keep
Israel safe.
JERUSALEM: He has led multiple wars, outlasted several American presidents, and
watched his political obituary written — only to be shredded — more times than
any other leader in modern Israeli history. Benjamin Netanyahu, Israel’s
longest-serving prime minister, faces an international arrest warrant over
alleged war crimes in Gaza, a long-running corruption trial, and a spiralling
multi-front conflict that has dragged on for nearly three years and saw his
country’s first direct military confrontations with arch-foe Iran. Now the
silver-haired 76-year-old, nicknamed “Bibi,” is staring down an election that
many believe could finally draw the curtain on one of the most consequential and
contested careers in Israeli politics — or extend it once again. Netanyahu has
declared that he “intends to win” in the election scheduled for October 27,
setting the stage for what could be the defining contest of his political life.
‘MR. SECURITY’
Netanyahu built his entire career on a single promise: that he alone could keep
Israel safe.
Then came October 7, 2023. It was the deadliest day in Israel’s history, with
Hamas’s attacks leaving more than 1,200 people dead and shattering the image of
“Mr. Security” that Netanyahu had spent decades cultivating. The wars that
followed have become both a political lifeline and his legacy’s greatest threat.
Netanyahu has overseen a sweeping retaliatory military campaign in Gaza that
left tens of thousands dead. The conflict quickly spread beyond the Palestinian
territory, drawing in Lebanon’s Hezbollah, Yemen’s Houthi rebels, and eventually
all three groups’ chief backer Iran, fundamentally reshaping the Middle East’s
strategic landscape. Militarily, Israel demonstrated overwhelming reach,
striking deep inside Iran, yet the diplomatic endgame has largely unfolded
outside Netanyahu’s control. Whether these wars ultimately redeem or irreparably
taint his leadership remains the central question in the elections. Born in Tel
Aviv on October 21, 1949, Netanyahu is the son of a right-wing Zionist historian
— an ideological inheritance that shaped his entire career. He served in
Israel’s commando unit and fought in the 1973 Arab-Israeli war. Netanyahu has
two sons with his third wife Sara and a daughter from a previous marriage. His
early life’s defining tragedy came when his elder brother Yonatan was killed
leading the Entebbe hostage-rescue mission in Uganda. “When the news reached me
that Yoni had died, I felt as if my life had ended,” Netanyahu later wrote.
RESHAPING MIDDLE EAST
Raised partly in the US and educated at MIT, he became one of Israel’s most
effective international advocates — a polished, English-speaking envoy equally
comfortable in Washington television studios and UN halls.He entered parliament
in 1988, took control of the Likud party in 1993 and, three years later, became
Israel’s youngest prime minister at 46. In all, he has spent nearly two decades
in the role across multiple terms.For years, Netanyahu argued that Israel’s
security rested on military strength, intelligence superiority and
deterrence.The Hamas assault exposed catastrophic failures in all three under
his watch. As the war widened, Netanyahu cast the conflict in increasingly
historic terms: not merely as a battle against Hamas, but as a
once-in-a-generation struggle to reshape the region and break Iran’s regional
influence. “We are going to change the Middle East,” he vowed after the Hamas
attacks. Supporters say he responded to Israel’s darkest hour with unprecedented
military determination, challenging Tehran more directly than any predecessor.
Critics tell a different story: a leader who used the war to delay a reckoning
over the failures behind October 7, and who, they argue, fell short of his own
war goals — namely eliminating Hamas and toppling the Islamic republic. The
conflict has also unfolded against a backdrop of a collapsed Israeli-Palestinian
peace process and the continued expansion of Jewish settlements in the occupied
West Bank, developments that critics say have pushed the prospect of a
Palestinian state further out of reach than ever.
THE TRUMP ALLIANCE
Netanyahu has survived and often frustrated successive American administrations,
but few foreign relationships have mattered more to him than his ties with US
President Donald Trump. Since Trump’s return to the White House, the two have
maintained a close relationship, with Netanyahu hailing him as “the greatest
friend” Israel ever had in the White House. But even that alliance has shown
signs of strain, with Trump unleashing profanity-laced tirades on his ally amid
the fraught negotiations over the Iran deal, which Israel watched from the
sidelines. At home, the criticism has grown sharper. “Benjamin Netanyahu is a
man blessed with talents, but he has grown old and tired, and is surrounded by
the least suitable people to run a country,” opposition leader Yair Lapid said
recently, insisting that accountability for October 7 and Netanyahu’s continued
leadership are irreconcilable.
CANNY SURVIVOR
Polls remain challenging, with a majority of Israelis wanting Netanyahu out amid
lingering public anger over the October 7 security failures, and he is still
fighting corruption charges in court. Yet few politicians in the world have
demonstrated a greater instinct for survival. For decades, Netanyahu has defied
every prediction of his downfall — most dramatically in 2022, when he returned
to power backed by far-right allies. Now, the battle over his legacy may prove
the hardest fight of all. The wars fought under his watch will determine how
history remembers him — a leader, as he once wrote, who spent a lifetime trying
to “secure the future of my ancient people.”In a recent interview, Netanyahu
expressed his comfort with making unpopular decisions that he felt were right,
saying he felt little need to be lionized in the press.
“I would rather get a bad editorial than a positive obituary,” he said.
Iran’s efforts to impose a new reality in the Strait of
Hormuz
Hassan Al-Mustafa/Arab News/July 12, 2026
In the last week, US Central Command has carried out strikes against more than
170 Iranian military targets. The targets have been varied and examining them
provides a picture of the current nature of US military conduct.
The targets have included coastal radar systems, air defense systems,
command-and-control networks, antiship missile capabilities, drone storage
facilities and more than 60 small boats belonging to the Islamic Revolutionary
Guard Corps. This indicates that the objective has been to reduce the
infrastructure that enables Tehran to disrupt navigation through the Strait of
Hormuz, while avoiding any expansion of operations to include Iranian energy
facilities and commercial ports. In other words, Washington is pursuing a strict
policy without, at the same time, allowing it to escalate into an open
confrontation with Tehran.
The US strikes were not arbitrary. Rather, they came after the IRGC targeted
three commercial tankers in the strait, including the Saudi vessel Wedyan and
the Qatari tanker Al-Rekayyat. The attack affected the already slow pace of
shipping through the strait. According to tracking data reported by Reuters,
only two tankers crossed during the early hours of last Thursday, while other
vessels switched off their Automatic Identification System transponders to avoid
being tracked by the IRGC.
This disruption to the smooth and safe flow of shipping through the Strait of
Hormuz not only harms the economies of the Arab Gulf states but also puts
pressure on Iran’s own ability to export oil. It thus expands the number of
countries affected worldwide, brings Gulf, Asian and European positions closer
together around the demand for freedom of navigation without Iranian control or
conditions, and provides Washington with a political basis for continuing to
target Iran’s naval military capabilities.
Iranian policymakers believe that the Strait of Hormuz has now become a winning
card for raising the cost for their adversaries. However, this belief overlooks
an important point: the negative consequences of this tool extend beyond the US
to Iran’s Gulf neighbors and influential countries that import oil through the
strait, such as China and India. Consequently, the medium- and long-term
political and even economic costs for Iran will be high.
According to the IRGC’s vision, the strait’s strategic value lies in dispersing
means of attack against tankers using missiles, drones and fast boats while
simultaneously maintaining plausible political deniability. Under this strategy,
the objective is to keep the strait in a state of uncertainty, allowing limited
shipping traffic without imposing a complete closure.
The US strikes have targeted this equation, particularly as some reports
emerging from Iran attributed the recent attacks to “a rogue faction within its
regime.” This narrative places Tehran before a problem that is difficult to
overcome both practically and legally. If the leadership does not exercise full
control over the units operating in the strait, then its assurances are
insufficient to guarantee safe navigation.
The US strikes were not arbitrary. Rather, they came after the IRGC targeted
three commercial tankers in the strait.
This is why US President Donald Trump’s administration has insisted on a public
Iranian commitment to cease targeting ships and to open all shipping lanes
without imposing transit fees.
At the same time, Trump announced Washington’s agreement to continue peace talks
at Iran’s request, adding that the ceasefire had “ended.” This indicates that
negotiations will proceed in parallel with sustained military pressure, as the
objective is to compel Tehran to comply with the provisions of the memorandum of
understanding signed last month.
The Iranians, who now find themselves pursuing a policy that is not matched by
their Arab Gulf neighbors, are relying on diplomacy spearheaded by Foreign
Minister Abbas Araghchi, supported by President Masoud Pezeshkian and
coordinated with Parliament Speaker Mohammed Baqer Qalibaf. This diplomacy seeks
to reduce escalation, although it remains inflexible on two issues: the Strait
of Hormuz and the frozen assets abroad.
However, this diplomacy loses its credibility in the face of IRGC attacks on oil
tankers and against Bahrain and Kuwait. This comes despite the fact three Arab
Gulf states participated in the funeral of late Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei,
while Qatar, with Saudi and Pakistani backing, remains active in mediation
efforts between Iran and the US.
Nevertheless, Tehran is displaying a stark contradiction in its foreign policy
behavior that goes beyond what some consider a mere distribution of roles,
reflecting instead conflicting policies and decision-making among competing
centers of power, as well as the desire of the more hard-line faction to
consolidate a fait accompli. This is particularly so because a segment of Iran’s
political and security establishment has come to believe that tightening its
grip on the Strait of Hormuz constitutes a more enduring and effective asset
than its nuclear program, which has suffered extensive destruction.
Most likely, an influential current and part of the Iranian regime’s hard-line
core believes it must reap the political and military gains of the war,
convinced that Iran emerged victorious. As Saudi political analyst Abdulrahman
Al-Rashed wrote in Asharq Al-Awsat: “Since Geneva, the Iranian side has felt and
acted with alarming high confidence. It is exerting pressure and threats. It has
not reciprocated the American gifts with tangible concessions. Even the opening
of the strait was accompanied by a condition obliging ships to acknowledge its
right to question them, provide their data and await its approval,” adding that
this “establishes new rules of control.”
In my view, these are rules that the Arab Gulf states will not accept and will
confront through various means, without entering into a costly military war with
Tehran that would fail to achieve the desired results.
• Hassan Al-Mustafa is a Saudi writer and researcher specializing in Islamist
movements, the evolution of religious discourse, and Gulf-Iran relations.
X: @Halmustafa
Selected Face Book & X tweets on
12 July
Mark Carney
Senator Lindsey Graham dedicated his life to serving the people
of South Carolina and the United States. Throughout his career, he stood
resolutely in defence of democracy and freedom, most recently and particularly
with Ukraine and its people. I offer my condolences to Senator Graham’s family,
friends, and all those who served alongside him.
Benjamin Netanyahu - בנימין נתניהו
https://x.com/netanyahu/status/2076336927389696281/video/1
I already miss you, my friend. Senator Lindsey Graham
Anita Anand
I join the Prime Minister in mourning the passing of His Highness Sheikh Hamad
bin Khalifa Al Thani. He will be remembered for the vision and leadership that
transformed Qatar and expanded its influence around the world.
I have been in touch with my Qatari counterpart, @MBA_AlThani_, to convey
Canada’s sincere condolences.
Quote
Mark Carney
I extend my deepest condolences to His Highness Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani,
the Al Thani family, and the people of Qatar on the passing of His Highness
Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani.
He led the State of Qatar through a remarkable period of transformation and
Newt Gingrich
Senator Lindsey Graham was a remarkable leader. He was always positive
enthusiastic and personable. He made major contributions to American national
security. I first met him when he won a seat in 1994 during the Contract witrh
America campaign. He came to Washington with enthusiasm, courage, drive and a
determination to make a difference. He was effective in both the House and the
Senate. As a good golfer he made a major contribution to President Trump having
a friend he could relax with on Sunday mornings. Callista and I will miss him
and wish his family well. He and they are in our prayers.
יצחק הרצוג Isaac Herzog
@Isaac_Herzog
https://x.com/Isaac_Herzog/status/2076263929727050200/video/1
I was devastated to learn of the passing of the great American patriot, a true
friend of Israel, and a dear personal friend, U.S. Senator Lindsey Graham.
May his memory be a blessing.
Ambassador Tom Barrack
I am deeply saddened by the passing of Senator Lindsey Graham. What an
extraordinary adventure his life was — rising from the simple, humble beginnings
of the Sanitary Café in Central, South Carolina, where his family ran a
restaurant, bar, and pool hall, to becoming one of the strongest and most
courageous statesmen of our time and a truly solid friend. After losing his
parents at a young age, he heroically stepped forward to care for his younger
sister, a testament to the quiet resilience that defined his remarkable journey.
As a longtime Senator, Lindsey was a tireless champion of strong national
defense, a key leader on the Senate Judiciary and Budget Committees, and a
steadfast advocate for robust American alliances and security partnerships
around the world. I was personally honored to host him in Ankara for NATO this
past week for several wonderful lunches and dinners with a cadre of high-level
foreign officials, cabinet members, and other Senators and Congressmen. He spoke
with elegance, eloquence, and directness — never hesitant to share what he
thought, whether praising what we were doing right or candidly noting where
improvements were needed. We will all miss him, and his extraordinary
contributions will remain his lasting legacy. My thoughts are with his family,
his dedicated staff, and the people of South Carolina during this difficult
time.
Zéna Mansour ܙܺܝܢܵܐ ܡܲܢܨܘܪ
The defense treaty Senator Graham proposed between the US and Lebanon was a
historical game changer. Lebanon and its future generations will always remember
that he came here to give us a chance to end 80 years of wars and battles for
influence on our land.
@LindseyGrahamSC
Quote
Laura Loomer
I didn’t agree with Senator Lindsey Graham on everything, but he was a fierce
fighter against Islamic jihad and he always voted with President Trump when it
mattered. He also fought against Jew hatred more than any other member of the
Senate and you could count on him to have
Ambassador Mike Huckabee
Still processing death of @LindseyGrahamSC & reflecting on his life of service,
his great sense of humor, and his love of Israel & the Jewish people. He was
here in Israel often. He understood the importance of the US/Israel partnership.
He will be sorely missed.
John Bolton
I’m saddened to learn of the passing of Lindsey Graham. Lindsey was a lifelong
public servant who possessed a deep understanding of American foreign policy and
national security. He was clear-eyed about our adversaries and a steadfast
supporter of NATO. His voice and service to our nation will be missed.
Senator Ted Cruz
Lindsey was a fearless patriot, a devoted public servant, and one of the
fiercest advocates for America’s national security. He loved this country
deeply, and he dedicated his life to defending it.
For years, I had the privilege of serving alongside Lindsey in the Senate. We
fought shoulder to shoulder for conservative judges, stood together with our
allies, and never wavered in confronting America’s adversaries. Heidi’s and my
prayers are with his family, his devoted staff, and the people of South
Carolina. His friendship, his sparkling humor, and his unwavering commitment to
our nation will be deeply missed. May God grant him eternal rest.
Morgan Ortagus
I am truly at a loss of words right now and cannot properly convey how deeply
heartbroken I am by this news. Senator Graham, Lindsey, was so much to so many
people, but to me he was one of my best friends. I will write more later when I
can find the words. Please pray for his sister and family. May his memory be a
blessing.
Nikki Haley
Lindsey loved South Carolina deeply. There was never a day he stopped fighting
for the people of our state. Through his military service and years in public
office, he gave his all to protect America and our freedom-loving allies.He was
truly one of a kind. Michael and I are lifting up Darline and his entire family
in prayer during this difficult time.
Aysan Ahmadi
I was talking to him when, out of nowhere, he said, “Let’s take a selfie
together.” Uncle Graham, Iran will never forget you. I hope you’re at peace up
there, watching over us, and that one day you’ll see us Make Iran Great Again.
As you once said: “May the Lord preserve the nation of Iran.”
Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent
Senator Lindsey Graham was a great American and Patriot.
He was a dedicated public servant who never stopped fighting for the Palmetto
State and all Americans. As a Senator he worked tirelessly for our country. It
was an honor to call him my friend. And work with him to advance President
Trump's agenda at home and on the international stage.
Lindsey was a one-of-a-kind politician who could speak at length on both global
defense policy and South Carolina kitchen table issues. He will be missed across
our state, country and the entire globe.
My prayers are with his sister and extended family during this difficult time.
Hiba Nasr
https://x.com/FaceTheNation/status/2076338982875451472/video/1
Israeli Ambassador to DC on the pilot zones
Antoine Breidy
On this day, a remarkable individual has departed, yet their enduring legacy
continues to inspire and influence generations. Today, the United States pays
tribute to the passing of a distinguished patriot and the most loyal individual
of the twentieth century. Senator Lindsey Graham has consistently commanded our
admiration with his unwavering support for our Commander-in-Chief.
His unwavering loyalty, steadfast support for President Trump, unwavering
dedication to the Republican Party, Lebanon, and unwavering commitment to our
nation have solidified his status as one of the most exceptional senators of our
generation. Senator Lindsey Graham, your country and America extend our profound
gratitude for your service. May the Almighty God grant you a peaceful repose,
and on behalf of all Republicans, we extend our deepest condolences to your
family and all Republicans worldwide.