English LCCC Newsbulletin For Lebanese, Lebanese Related, Global News &
Editorials
For October 30/2026
Compiled & Prepared by: Elias Bejjani
#elias_bejjani_news
The Bulletin's Link on the lccc Site
https://eliasbejjaninews.com/aaaanewsfor2026/english.october30.26.htm
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Bible Quotations For today
John came to you in the way of righteousness
and you did not believe him, but the tax-collectors and the prostitutes believed
him and even after you saw it, you did not change your minds and believe him”.
Holy Gospel of Jesus Christ according to Saint Matthew
21/28-32/:”‘What do you think? A man had two sons; he went to the first and
said, “Son, go and work in the vineyard today.” He answered, “I will not”; but
later he changed his mind and went. The father went to the second and said the
same; and he answered, “I go, sir”; but he did not go. Which of the two did the
will of his father?’ They said, ‘The first.’ Jesus said to them, ‘Truly I tell
you, the tax-collectors and the prostitutes are going into the kingdom of God
ahead of you. For John came to you in the way of righteousness and you did not
believe him, but the tax-collectors and the prostitutes believed him; and even
after you saw it, you did not change your minds and believe him”.
Titles For The English LCCC Lebanese & Lebanese Related
News & Editorials published on October 29-30/2026
Arab Citizens of Israel Are the Only Arabs Across the Entire Arab and
Islamic World Who Exercise Their Right to Vote Freely/Elias Bejjani/October
28/2026
Re-electing Benjamin Netanyahu Is a Lebanese, Regional, and International
Strategic Interest: He Is Fighting Political Islam in Both Its Forms on Behalf
of a Complacent West and Its Threatened Civilization/Elias Bejjani/October
26/2026
Seven suspects identified in Hezbollah explosives case
Report: US tells Aoun Israel won't strike Lebanon if not attacked
Explosives and weapons seized in Tripoli
Senior political source lashes out at Qassem over latest statement
Aoun says Lebanon's demands in negotiations with Israel have not yet been met
German minister meets President Aoun on official visit to Lebanon
Aoun Says No Progress Made in Talks, Berri Warns Against Ending UNIFIL Mission
Berri warns against ending UNIFIL's mission in meeting with German minister
Israeli artillery shells Zawtar-Mayfadoun
Hezbollah vows resistance until occupation ends, no matter who wins in Israeli
polls
Finance Minister, World Bank review progress on Lebanon’s recovery and
reconstruction projects
From fine dining to hospital beds: Four hospitalized after meal at upscale
Beirut restaurant
Lebanon bets on diplomacy to avert another war, amid reports of Hezbollah
preparing for battle
Hezbollah’s Explosives Shipment: Latest Developments and Defining the Key Tests
Facing the Lebanese State
Titles For The Latest English LCCC Miscellaneous Reports And News
published on October 29-30/2026
US warns allies to prepare for possible Iran strikes after elections
Bessent says Iran’s funding for proxies is being cut off
Iran Reportedly Received Letter from US Vice President, Has Not Replied Yet
Iran Guards Says Three Tankers on Fire after Hitting Mines in Hormuz
Israel piles pressure on Arab parties as Netanyahu seeks government
Israelis Await Final Election Results as Difficult Choices Lie Ahead
Israeli Elections Official: No Evidence Arab Parties 'Stole' Election
Palestinian Authority, West Bank Palestinians Await Formation of Next Israeli
Government
Palestinian president says hopes for peace talks with new Israeli government
Israel’s Arab parties emerge as kingmakers — but coalition doors remain closed
How Can Gaza's Children Make Up for Years of Lost Education?
Palestinian President Says Hopes for Peace Talks with New Israeli Government
Qatar Denies Interference in Israeli Elections
Saudi air defenses intercept two Houthi ballistic missiles targeting Riyadh
Houthis suspected of using chemical weapons in Taiz, local authorities seek UN
probe
1,400 Killed in Two Months as Yemen’s Dhamar Pays the Price of Houthi Attrition
Nearly 10,000 Casualties in Yemen Escalation as Taiz Health System Struggles to
Survive
Intensive Strikes Target Houthis Amid Suspicions of Toxic Shells Used by
Militias
550 Private Schools in Sanaa Come Under Houthi Recruitment Pressure
Iraqi Politicians Sentenced to Prison in Oil Corruption Case
Türkiye Renews Offer to Sign Maritime Boundaries Agreement with Egypt
Titles For The Latest English LCCC
analysis & editorials from miscellaneous sources published
on October 29-30/2026
Les élections israéliennes et la géopolitique en tourmente/Dr. Charles Chartouni/Ici
Beyrouth/October 29/2029
Israeli Elections and Geopolitics in Turmoil/Dr. Charles Chartouni/Ici Beyrouth/October
29, 2029
For the Spirit of the Gulf/Mishary Dhayidi/Asharq Al-Awsat/October 30/2026
Defeater of the Right/Suleiman Jawda/Asharq Al-Awsat/October 30/2026
From Yemen to Jordan… Fight Terrorism/Lutfi Fuad Noaman/Asharq Al-Awsat/October
30/2026
The Opportunity for Dialogue… How the War Changed Sudanese Thinking/Osman
Mirghani/Asharq Al-Awsat/October 30/2026
Selected Face Book & X tweets on October 29/2026
Latest English LCCC
Lebanese & Lebanese Related News & Editorials published on October 29-30/2026 (Some of the News reports below are
translated from Arabic by AI)
Arab Citizens of Israel Are the Only Arabs Across the Entire Arab and
Islamic World Who Exercise Their Right to Vote Freely
Elias Bejjani/October 28/2026
https://eliasbejjaninews.com/2026/10/158647/
What Are the Differences Between Democratic Israel and the Muslim Brotherhood
and Leftist Cancer That Weeps Over “Genocide” While Slaughtering Its Own People?
In practical terms, Arab citizens of Israel, who make up approximately 20% of
the population, are arguably the only Arabs across the Arab and Islamic world
who exercise their right to vote, establish political parties, and enjoy
political rights comparable to those available to them and others in Western
countries—the so-called “infidel lands.”
How astonishing! In an Arab and Islamic world groaning under the yoke of kings,
princes, dictators, and jihadists, with not a single exception, where there are
no genuine elections, no free press, and no opposition figures who emerge from
prison except as corpses, the stupid and destructive Left and the terrorist
Islamist movements, both Sunni and Shiite, shout day and night: “Israel is
racist! Israel is committing genocide! Throw the Jews into the sea!”
Then Israeli elections take place, and Arab citizens of Israel turn out to vote
freely, becoming kingmakers who can determine who will become prime minister.
They negotiate, bargain, threaten to withdraw their support, and secure
ministries and budgets… in a state supposedly defined as “racist and genocidal.”
Meanwhile, in their countries of origin, from Tehran to Riyadh, and through
Cairo, Damascus, Algiers, Sudan, and Jakarta, citizens cannot criticize their
rulers except in whispers, lest they find themselves in a prison cell or a mass
grave.
This spectacle alone is enough to expose the lies. The Left, which weeps over
“human rights” in Palestine, forgets that Arab and Islamic regimes are living
museums of repression and tyranny. Political Islam—this cancer that branches
directly from the Muslim Brotherhood—shouts “jihad” against Israel while
slaughtering Sunnis in Syria, Iraq, and Yemen; oppressing women in Iran,
Afghanistan, Pakistan, and Bangladesh; and turning every country it controls
into an open-air prison from which its own people flee to the “lands of the
infidels”—the countries of the West.
Yes, the Muslim Brotherhood cancer. It helped turn the Arab Spring into a bloody
autumn, exports jihadist rhetoric, and views every Western democracy as an
opportunity to “Islamize” it from within. Arab and Muslim migrants go to
extraordinary lengths to reach Europe, America, and Canada, fleeing poverty,
repression, and tyranny. Yet, once settled, the majority allegedly begin
demanding that these countries be transformed into distorted versions of the
very countries they fled: compulsory hijab, Sharia law, gender segregation, and
rejection of any criticism of Islam. Someone once asked with bitter sarcasm: If
you succeed in turning the West into Islamic states like your own countries,
where will you migrate next?
Israel, with all its flaws and conflicts, remains the only state in the region
where Arab citizens exercise their right to vote, protest, and enjoy genuine
political representation. Meanwhile, revolutionary Iran executes protesters,
Saudi Arabia carries out beheadings, and Indonesia, the world’s largest
Muslim-majority country, continues to face serious challenges concerning genuine
freedom of expression. Egypt, Syria, Iraq, Libya, and Yemen… all serve as
examples of a political culture that views democracy as an existential threat,
rather than as a fundamental right.
They should be ashamed. The Left should be ashamed of glorifying “resistance”
while ignoring Assad’s prisons, Sisi’s jails, and Tehran’s gallows. Political
Islam should be ashamed of promoting jihad against Jews while perpetrating mass
atrocities against its own peoples. And Israel, despite all the noise, continues
to remind everyone that democracy is not an empty slogan but a daily
practice—even when those exercising it are Arabs living within the “Zionist
state.”
As for the Muslim Brotherhood cancer, it continues to spread, migrate, and
attempt to reproduce the same catastrophe wherever it takes root. The question
that will always haunt its adherents is this: After destroying the West just as
you destroyed your own countries, into which sea will you throw yourselves?
Ultimately, freedom and justice cannot be selective slogans. They cannot be
demanded for one group while being denied to others. Anyone who raises the
banner of human rights must defend those rights everywhere and hold every
authority or organization that violates them accountable, regardless of its
identity, ideology, or slogans.
*The author, Elias Bejjani, is a Lebanese expatriate activist
Author’s Email: Phoenicia@hotmail.com
Author’s Website:
https://eliasbejjaninews.com
Re-electing Benjamin Netanyahu Is a
Lebanese, Regional, and International Strategic Interest: He Is Fighting
Political Islam in Both Its Forms on Behalf of a Complacent West and Its
Threatened Civilization
Elias Bejjani/October 26/2026
https://eliasbejjaninews.com/2026/10/158590/
I see that the continuation of resolute leadership of the stature
of Benjamin Netanyahu, the international leader who fights terrorist political
Islam in both its Shiite and Sunni forms, and who fights on behalf of a
complacent West infiltrated by extremism, is the option most compatible with the
goal of the Lebanese to build a free state with full sovereignty, and a
strategic interest for Lebanon, the region, and the free world.
As a Lebanese citizen who believes in state sovereignty, independence of
national decision-making, and the distinct Lebanese identity, I state it clearly
and without equivocation: I support the re-election of Benjamin Netanyahu on
Tuesday, October 27, 2026, because I see in him an exceptional international
leader, and direct support for the cause of a free, independent Lebanon,
liberated from the occupation of Iran and its terrorist arm, Hezbollah.
The re-election of Netanyahu and enabling him to form the next Israeli
government directly intersects with Lebanon’s supreme interests at this critical
and existential juncture.
Netanyahu is not just an ordinary candidate. He is the longest-serving Prime
Minister in the history of Israel, the statesman who led Israel through multiple
wars, managed complex international relations, and enjoys clear and explicit
support from U.S. President Donald Trump, who described him as a strong,
courageous leader and partner in confronting the Islamic Republic. This support
reflects a convergence of vision on the priority of containing the Iranian
threat and preventing the regime from acquiring nuclear capabilities that
threaten world peace.
Netanyahu has proven over the past years that he is the most determined Israeli
leader to confront the Iranian project in the region. This project, embodied in
supporting, arming, and transforming southern Lebanon into an advanced military
platform for Hezbollah, has for decades been the main obstacle to Lebanon
regaining its full sovereignty. Treating Hezbollah as an illegitimate occupation
force linked to Tehran, and seeking to dismantle its military infrastructure, is
consistent with international resolutions, foremost among them Resolution 1701,
and with the aspirations of Lebanese who want one state that monopolizes weapons
and decision-making.
But my support for Netanyahu goes beyond the narrow Lebanese dimension. I
support him because I see in him an international leader who fights political
Islam in both its criminal forms, Shiite and Sunni, without selective
discrimination and without hypocrisy.
He does not fight the Iranian Shiite axis alone, but adopts a comprehensive
local, regional, and international vision that sees political extremism,
represented by destructive terrorist and jihadi political Islam, whether Sunni
or Shiite, as a common source threatening stability in all countries of the
world, especially in the Middle East. The military campaign against Hamas and
Islamic Jihad after the events of October 7th, and the insistence on disarming
these organizations and preventing their rebuilding, clearly reflects this
approach. His pursuit of weakening the Iranian regime itself stems from a firm
conviction that the survival of the Mullahs’ regime means continued feeding of
armed networks in Lebanon, Gaza, and Yemen.
And here lies a fundamental point: Netanyahu is fighting on behalf of a
complacent West. While Islamic extremism has spread within Western societies
themselves, and their capitals suffer from a culture of violence, militias, and
ideological extremism, Netanyahu stands almost alone waging the civilizational
battle against this danger. He understands that the danger is one, whether it
comes with a Shiite turban from Tehran or a Sunni jihadi flag from Gaza.
In this context, the existential threats of Iranian nuclear capabilities emerge
as a central danger that cannot be ignored. The Iranian regime’s pursuit of
nuclear weapons does not threaten Israel alone, but poses an existential threat
to Lebanon in particular. If Tehran acquires a nuclear weapon, it will gain a
deterrent umbrella enabling it to escalate its support for its militias in
Lebanon, Yemen, and Iraq without fear of real deterrent responses, and will
transform Hezbollah into an even bolder tool for imposing a foreign agenda on
the Lebanese. Preventing the Mullahs from acquiring nuclear capabilities is not
just an Israeli interest, but a common Lebanese, regional, and international
interest.
On the diplomatic level, Netanyahu played a pivotal role in achieving the
Abraham Accords, which opened new horizons for cooperation between Israel and
several Arab countries, including the UAE, Bahrain, Morocco, and Sudan. These
agreements were not merely formal normalization, but represented the beginning
of a practical alliance between states that share a rejection of Iranian
expansion and Sunni and Shiite jihadi Islamic ideological extremism. The
existence of an Israeli leadership committed to this path enhances the chances
of expanding regional stability, which is in Lebanon’s interest in the medium
and long term.
Politically, despite the media noise and close polls showing a race of between
48 and 55 seats for his camp, Netanyahu’s chances remain the highest in reality.
His electoral base in Likud and the religious and right-wing parties remains the
most cohesive and disciplined, and has repeatedly proven to surprise the polls
with high turnout on election day. Israeli history shows that right-wing voters
are often undercounted in polls. Moreover, his unique experience in building
coalitions and coalition negotiations gives him a clear advantage over a divided
opposition camp suffering from internal divisions over reliance on Arab parties.
In conclusion, this is not about blind support for any external party, but about
a realistic assessment of the balance of power and interests. Lebanon needs a
regional environment in which the ability of foreign-backed militias to impose
their agendas is reduced. Any retreat in Israeli resolve toward Hezbollah and
the Iranian regime would give both parties an opportunity to regroup and restore
their capabilities, and for Lebanon this means prolonging the current situation:
a weak state, illegitimate weapons, borders open to tension, and a collapsed
economy.
Therefore, I see the continuation of resolute leadership of the stature of
Benjamin Netanyahu – the international leader who fights terrorist political
Islam in both its Shiite and Sunni forms, and who fights on behalf of a
complacent West infiltrated by extremism – as the option most compatible with
the goal of the Lebanese to build a free state with full sovereignty, and a
strategic interest for Lebanon, the region, and the free world.
*The author, Elias Bejjani, is a Lebanese expatriate activist
Author’s Email:
Phoenicia@hotmail.com
Author’s Website:
https://eliasbejjaninews.com
Seven suspects identified in Hezbollah explosives case
Naharnet/29 October/2026
Judicial authorities are nearing the completion of the preliminary investigation
into the Hezbollah explosives case, paving the way to file charges against seven
suspects involved in the case, a media report said. “Government Commissioner to
the Military Court, Judge Claude Ghanem, is expected to receive within a few
hours the records of the preliminary investigations conducted by the
Intelligence Directorate of the Lebanese Army and the Information Branch of the
Internal Security Forces, to review them and press charges against those
involved in accordance with the crimes that match their actions,” Asharq al-Awsat
newspaper reported. “While reports circulated regarding the arrest of a new
individual in addition to the two who were inside the truck transporting the
explosives, the judicial source clarified that the arrests remain limited to two
people,” the daily added. However, the source confirmed to Asharq al-Awsat that
the investigation has "revealed the identities of five other individuals
suspected of links to the case, among them a person called Sajid, who is a
security figure belonging to Hezbollah and suspected of delivering the
explosives in Baalbek, and another called Zulfiqar, who also holds a security
position and was supposed to receive the explosives in the southern suburbs of
Beirut, in addition to the wife of H. A. (one of the detainees) and the owner of
the truck carrying the explosives."Until the government makes its decision on
whether or not to refer the file to the Judicial Council, the judicial process
for this file is expected to continue before the Military Court. The judicial
source announced that Judge Claude Ghanem "will begin reviewing the records and
matching the confessions and evidence with the applicable legal texts governing
the acts attributed to the suspects, in preparation for determining the criminal
charges on which he will base the prosecution of both the detainees and those at
large." He anticipated that "charges will be filed on Thursday against the
individuals whose responsibilities have been established in this case." He
further stressed that the preliminary investigation "succeeded in uncovering the
real names of those involved in the case, and bench warrants as well as search
and arrest warrants have been issued for some of them and are currently being
executed." Meanwhile, Minister of Justice Adel Nassar reiterated to the daily
his insistence on referring the file to the Judicial Council, stating that "the
gravity of the file goes beyond transporting and storing explosives to posing a
threat to national security and civil peace."
Report: US tells Aoun Israel won't strike Lebanon if not
attacked
Naharnet/October 29/2026
Lebanon has received positive signs from Washington, which has informed
President Joseph Aoun that Israel “will not expand its operations or carry out
any war or military activity outside the security zone” if Hezbollah does not
attack it first, the Nidaa al-Watan newspaper reported on Thursday.
Accordingly, the efforts are currently focused on “convincing Hezbollah not to
get involved in any potential battle between the U.S. and Israel on one side and
Iran on the other,” the daily said. “Speaker Nabih Berri is assuming this
mission, knowing that the indications that his efforts have succeeded are not
high,” the newspaper added.
Explosives and weapons seized in Tripoli
Naharnet/29 October/2026
Weapons and explosives have been seized by General Security in the northern city
of Tripoli. “As part of proactive security efforts and under the supervision of
the competent judiciary, the General Directorate of General Security executed a
series of raids in the city of Tripoli. These operations resulted in the seizure
of quantities of explosives ... and detonators used in manufacturing improvised
explosive devices (IEDs), alongside large quantities of military weapons,
ammunition and grenades,” General Security said in a statement. It added that
the aforementioned arms were seized inside the home of Lebanese national R.S. in
the Bab al-Raml area. MTV meanwhile reported that R.S. is “suspected of links to
the Daesh organization.”Additionally, a drone was seized from the detained
Lebanese national A.A. during a raid on his house in the Bab al-Raml area, the
General Security statement said, adding that Lebanese national T.H. was also
arrested in Bab al-Raml for his ties to the aforementioned detainees. “The
seized items were confiscated and held pursuant to instructions from the
competent judicial authorities, while investigations continue under judicial
supervision to uncover all circumstances of the case and arrest the remaining
accomplices,” General Security said. “The General Directorate of General
Security reaffirms its commitment to continuing proactive operations to maintain
citizen security and safety and to safeguard stability,” it added.
Senior political source lashes out at Qassem over latest
statement
Naharnet/October 29/2026
The statement issued by Hezbollah chief Sheikh Naim Qassem on Wednesday
"constitutes a flagrant departure from the collective national will, a further
persistence in imposing a fait accompli, and a continuation of adventures that
have brought Lebanon nothing but destruction, displacement and collapse,” a
senior political source said. In remarks to the Nidaa al-Watan newspaper, the
source accused Qassem of insisting on “placing decisions of war and peace, as
well as the conditions of national sovereignty, outside state institutions and
the will of the Lebanese people, as if the country were the property of a single
faction deciding its fate and the future of its citizens."The source added that
"Qassem speaks of national unity while imposing preconditions on others,
demanding that they confirm their convictions according to the party's
constants, rather than in accordance with the Constitution and the principle of
equal national partnership."The source questioned "what unity the party speaks
of while refusing to subject its weaponry and military strategy to the decision
of the state, declaring in advance that discussing the surrender of weapons is
off the table -- a stance that destroys the essence of any serious national
dialogue regarding the state's monopoly on arms and the authority of legitimate
institutions." He added that "the attempt to present the continuation of armed
resistance as Lebanon's sole option is nothing short of confiscating the
Lebanese people's right to self-determination, and a deliberate disregard for
the immense cost the country has paid as a result of decisions that lacked
national consensus.”“Meanwhile, southerners, the displaced, and owners of
destroyed homes are still waiting for safety, reconstruction, and the
restoration of their normal lives," the senior source stated, stressing that
"protecting Lebanon does not come by repeating the experiences that dragged it
into wars, nor by turning the sacrifices of the Lebanese into an open
authorization to pursue the same path.”“Rather, it is achieved by restoring
respect for the state, its institutions, and its army, as the sole authority
capable of protecting sovereignty and safeguarding the interests of all
Lebanese," the source noted. Qassem said Wednesday that "the resistance will
continue... and will stand up to the aggression directed against it and against
Lebanon,” stressing that there is no room to discuss disarmament "as long as the
occupation persists and its aggression continues."
The group, which once dominated political life in Lebanon, has been weakened by
two wars it waged against Israel since 2023. In June, Lebanese and Israeli
authorities signed a framework agreement which involves the disarmament of
Hezbollah, a gradual Israeli withdrawal from occupied territory, and the
deployment of the Lebanese Army to the area. But Israel continues to carry out
sporadic strikes and demolitions in and around the territory it occupies, while
Hezbollah refuses to submit to government plans to disarm it.
Aoun says Lebanon's demands in negotiations with Israel
have not yet been met
Naharnet/October 29/2026
President Joseph Aoun said Thursday that Lebanon remains committed to diplomacy
but noted that the country's core demands in negotiations with Israel have not
yet been met. Aoun told a visiting German minister that he believes that only
diplomacy can resolve conflicts as wars failed to achieve their intended goals.
"Lasting stability cannot be attained through military force alone."The
president said that Lebanon has demanded a ceasefire, Israeli withdrawal, border
demarcation and the return of prisoners, in negotiations with Israel, but added
that these demands have not yet been met.
German minister meets President Aoun on official visit to
Lebanon
Naharnet/October 29/2026
German Federal Minister Reem Alabali Radovan met Thursday with President Joseph
Aoun after she arrived in Lebanon for an official visit "to reaffirm Germany's
solidarity with the Lebanese people and its continued commitment to the
country’s stability."The German Embassy in Beirut said the visit focuses on
strengthening Lebanon’s state institutions and addressing the needs of
internally displaced people, including the restoration of basic services in
war-affected areas. Aoun told the minister that Lebanon remains committed to
diplomacy but noted that its core demands in negotiations with Israel have not
yet been met.
Aoun Says No Progress Made in Talks, Berri Warns Against
Ending UNIFIL Mission
Beirut/Asharq Al-Awsat/October 29/2026
Lebanese President Joseph Aoun reaffirmed Lebanon's commitment to diplomatic and
negotiated solutions to disputes, saying that negotiations with Israel have yet
to yield the desired progress. Meanwhile, Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri warned
of the dangers of ending the UN peacekeeping mission in southern Lebanon before
UN Security Council Resolution 1701 is fully implemented and Israeli occupation
ends completely. The two leaders made their remarks during separate meetings
with German Minister for Economic Cooperation and Development Reem Alabali-Radovan,
who also met Prime Minister Nawaf Salam in Beirut. The meetings focused on
developments in Lebanon and the wider region, ways to strengthen cooperation
between Lebanon and Germany, and European support for Lebanese institutions.
Aoun: Diplomacy, not military force, key to stability
Aoun said Lebanon remained committed to diplomacy and negotiations to resolve
conflicts, arguing that wars had failed to achieve their intended goals and that
military force alone could not secure lasting stability. He called for an end to
Israeli attacks and compliance with existing agreements, warning that continued
military operations and strikes on civilian areas and infrastructure were
deepening suffering and undermining efforts to restore stability.Residents of
southern Lebanon, he said, needed security and reassurance to return to their
normal lives.
Aoun: No breakthrough in talks with Israel
Aoun said Lebanon had put four key issues on the negotiating table: a ceasefire,
Israeli withdrawal, border demarcation and prisoners. But the progress Beirut
sought had yet to materialize, he said.
Aoun stressed that the Lebanese state and army were ready to address security
concerns through official channels and established coordination mechanisms
rather than military action. He urged Europe to step up support for the Lebanese
army, citing its role in maintaining stability, fighting terrorism and drug
trafficking, securing borders and combating irregular migration. Backing
Lebanon's military and security institutions, he said, was a direct investment
in regional stability that would also bolster European security, given the close
ties across the Mediterranean. On economic reforms, Aoun said Lebanon was
pressing ahead with the International Monetary Fund and other international
financial institutions to complete reforms and rebuild confidence in its
economy. He also voiced hope that Germany would help finance reconstruction,
particularly through any framework developed under World Bank leadership in
coordination with the Lebanese government. Aoun called for a gradual shift from
emergency aid toward a lasting economic and development partnership.
Berri warns against UNIFIL withdrawal before full implementation of Resolution
1701
Berri, meeting Alabali-Radovan alongside German Ambassador Thomas Seidel, raised
concerns over continued Israeli attacks and the destruction of villages and
towns in southern Lebanon.
He accused Israel of disregarding international resolutions, particularly UN
Security Council Resolution 1701, as well as agreements reached in 2024 and the
latest framework agreement, both brokered by the United States. With the mandate
of the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) set to expire at the end
of the year, Berri warned against ending its mission before Resolution 1701 is
fully implemented and Israeli occupation ends completely. He also called for
stronger ties between Lebanon, Germany and the European Union, alongside
continued support for the Lebanese army.
Salam seeks support for southern Lebanon's recovery
Prime Minister Nawaf Salam thanked Germany for its continued support, stressing
the need to help southern Lebanon recover and rebuild. He also called for
assistance to enable displaced residents to return to their villages and
strengthen the Lebanese state's capabilities. Germany backs reforms, warns
against security vacuum in south. Alabali-Radovan reaffirmed Germany's support
for Lebanon's reform efforts, stronger state institutions and better living
conditions, particularly for those hardest hit by the country's crisis. Speaking
after meeting Aoun at the presidential palace, she said Berlin was seeing
progress in the Lebanese government's reforms and would continue supporting its
institutions. German cooperation, she said, would focus on better governance and
transparency, economic growth, vocational training and rebuilding infrastructure
in affected areas. On UNIFIL's future, she said Germany was closely monitoring
developments and warned against leaving a vacuum. "We are monitoring the
situation closely, and of course there must be no vacuum in this regard," she
said. Alabali-Radovan also pledged continued German backing for the Lebanese
army, calling it a cornerstone of national stability.
"Germany wants to support the Lebanese army because it is indeed a fundamental
pillar of the country's stability, and we will do so now and in the future," she
said.
Berri warns against ending UNIFIL's mission in meeting with
German minister
Naharnet/29 October/2026
Speaker Berri warned Thursday of the danger of ending UNIFIL's mission before
Resolution 1701 is fully implemented and Israeli forces completely withdraw from
southern Lebanon. During a meeting with visiting German Federal Minister Reem
Alabali Radovan, Berri emphasized the need to strengthen Lebanon's partnership
with Germany and the European Union.
Israeli artillery shells Zawtar-Mayfadoun
Naharnet/29 October/2026
Israeli artillery shelled Thursday a region between Mayfadoun and Zawtar al-Sahrqiyeh,
the National News Agency said. Overnight, Israeli forces carried out detonations
in Deir Mimas and shelled Kfartebnit, Baraashit, Aita al-Jabal, and Marjaoun.
Strikes also hit Kfartebnit, Wadi al Hujair and Baraashit.
Hezbollah vows resistance until occupation ends, no matter who wins in Israeli
polls
Agence France Presse/29 October/2026
Hezbollah chief Sheikh Naim Qassem said Wednesday the Iran-backed Lebanese
movement was not concerned with the results of Israel's election, vowing to
continue its resistance against it no matter who wins.With 85 percent of ballots
counted, the right-wing bloc of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had a slight
lead over the main opposition bloc, but was still short of a majority after
Tuesday's election. "We do not concern ourselves with who governs Israel, but
let it be perfectly clear that it cannot continue its occupation and must leave
our land," Qassem said in a written statement.
"The resistance will continue... and will stand up to the aggression directed
against it and against Lebanon, and there is no room to discuss the disarmament"
of Hezbollah "as long as the occupation persists and its aggression continues",
he added. The group, which once dominated political life in Lebanon, has been
weakened by two wars it waged against Israel since 2023.In June, Lebanese and
Israeli authorities signed a framework agreement which involves the disarmament
of Hezbollah, a gradual Israeli withdrawal from occupied territory, and the
deployment of the Lebanese army to the area. But Israel continues to carry out
sporadic strikes and demolitions in and around the territory it occupies, while
Hezbollah refuses to submit to government plans to disarm it.
Finance Minister, World Bank review progress on Lebanon’s recovery and
reconstruction projects
LBCI/October 29, 2026
Finance Minister Yassine Jaber met with a World Bank delegation, including
Beirut office director Enrique Armas and infrastructure division director
Catherine Sen, to review progress on World Bank-funded recovery and
reconstruction projects in Lebanon. Finance Ministry Director General Georges
Maarraoui, Prime Minister's adviser Sateh Arnaout, and Jaber's advisers Claudine
Karki and Zeina Kassem attended the meeting. According to the Finance Ministry,
discussions focused on progress in implementing reconstruction projects and the
challenges delaying them, particularly administrative procedures, procurement,
and the operational capacity of the institutions involved. The World Bank
delegation said contracts worth approximately $65 million are currently
undergoing tendering procedures, stressing the need to accelerate priority
projects and move toward implementation. These projects include rehabilitating
damaged roads, infrastructure and schools, as well as providing ambulances.
Discussions also addressed challenges facing the Council for Development and
Reconstruction (CDR), particularly the need to strengthen its technical and
human resources, streamline procurement procedures and accelerate
decision-making. Participants also examined security-related obstacles and
difficulties accessing some affected areas, alongside preparations to
accommodate additional funding, including €70 million in expected French
financing. They emphasized the importance of directing resources toward urgent
projects in affected communities and areas hosting displaced people. The meeting
also covered preparations for a visit by senior World Bank officials scheduled
for Nov. 17-18, which will include reviewing project progress and assessing
reconstruction needs on the ground. Jaber stressed the importance of closer
coordination between the World Bank, the CDR, and relevant ministries to
overcome administrative and technical obstacles. He emphasized that the priority
remains translating international funding into tangible projects that improve
citizens' lives and support Lebanon's recovery and reconstruction efforts.
From fine dining to hospital beds: Four hospitalized after meal at upscale
Beirut restaurant
LBCI/October 29, 2026
Four customers were hospitalized after dining at an upscale restaurant in
downtown Beirut.
The cause was trichinellosis, according to information from the American
University of Beirut Medical Center. The infection can result from eating raw or
undercooked meat. The Health Ministry launched an epidemiological investigation,
seeking answers to key questions: Who ate what, where, and when did the symptoms
appear? By cross-referencing this information with test results and tracing
suppliers, investigators identified the source of the infection. Following
reports on the case, the Beirut governor ordered the restaurant to be sealed
with red wax for failing to meet public health, hygiene and safety standards and
posing a threat to consumers. But the investigation did not stop at the
restaurant's doorstep. The restaurant had been sourcing its meat from a
warehouse in Beirut's Raoucheh area. Investigators uncovered another problem
there. According to the Beirut Municipality, the warehouse was operating without
a license and failed to meet even the minimum health standards. The facility was
equipped to thaw frozen meat, cut it, and prepare it for distribution.
Suspicions of fraud also emerged, including the mixing of fresh and imported
meat without identifying the animal species from which the meat originated. The
governor also ordered the warehouse to be sealed with red wax. Since it supplied
multiple restaurants, tracing the remaining meat supplies and determining where
they had been distributed became essential. The Health Ministry followed up on
the case, but the public also needs to know more about trichinellosis. What
began as a meal at an upscale restaurant has led to a sealed warehouse and an
ongoing investigation. The decor may look impressive in photos, but customers
have the right to feel confident about the food they eat, not just enjoy the
atmosphere.
Lebanon bets on diplomacy to avert another war, amid reports of Hezbollah
preparing for battle
ANAN TELLO/Arab News/October 29, 2026
LONDON: Lebanon’s leaders are looking to US-mediated diplomacy in an effort to
avert another war with Israel, even as Israeli forces remain in southern Lebanon
and Hezbollah refuses to surrender its weapons. This leaves authorities in
Beirut with little control over the decisions that could plunge the country back
into conflict. Caught between Israeli demands for security guarantees and
Hezbollah’s insistence that its arsenal is essential for efforts to resist
occupation, the Lebanese government faces a dilemma: It has pledged to disarm
the group but has yet to secure the Israeli withdrawal that could strengthen its
case. Its strongest leverage might lie not at home, analysts said, but in the
willingness of Washington to restrain its Israeli allies, amid reports that
Hezbollah had spent three months preparing for renewed hostilities. “The only
leverage (Beirut) has is its positive relationship with the United States,” said
Faysal Itani, an adjunct professor of security studies at Georgetown University.
Lebanese officials hope that their relationship will translate into US pressure
on Israel, he told Arab News.
But a fundamental obstacle remains, Itani said: “Israel does not trust Lebanon
to deliver on its security guarantees.”From Beirut’s perspective, the stakes
extend far beyond preventing another round of destructive fighting. A renewed
conflict could further weaken the government, displace communities once again
and deepen divisions over the question of whether Hezbollah’s weapons protect
Lebanon or expose it to wars it cannot afford. Nearly 330,000 people remained
internally displaced as of late September, according to the International
Organization for Migration. More than 877,000 others had returned to their home
areas after being displaced by the Israeli military escalation in March, which
followed Hezbollah rocket attacks launched in retaliation for the joint
US-Israeli strikes on Iran.
President Joseph Aoun reaffirmed Lebanon’s commitment to diplomacy on Thursday,
while stressing that his country’s central demands during negotiations with
Israel remained unmet.
Speaking with the visiting German minister for economic cooperation and
development, Reem Alabali-Radovan, Aoun said wars had failed to achieve their
intended goals, Lebanese media reported.
He listed four issues Lebanon had brought to the negotiating table: a ceasefire
agreement, an Israeli withdrawal, border demarcation and prisoners. He said the
progress Beirut sought had not materialized.
He also called on Israel to halt its attacks and comply with existing
agreements, and warned that strikes on civilian areas and infrastructure were
increasing suffering and undermining efforts to restore stability.
His appeal came a day after Hezbollah’s secretary-general, Naim Qassem, rejected
the prospect of disarmament under a US-brokered framework agreement reached in
June. “The resistance continues and will confront any aggression against it;
there is no room for discussion regarding the surrender of its weapons,” he said
in a statement. He described the agreement as illegitimate and “in effect, null
and void,” and said it surrendered Lebanese sovereignty to Israeli demands. “An
end must be put to American tutelage and its control over certain key sectors of
the Lebanese state,” he added.
The respective positions seem to leave little room for compromise. From the
government’s perspective, disarmament is a commitment under the agreement. In
the view of Hezbollah, the identity and influence of which rest on armed
resistance, it threatens the organization’s military role and its rationale for
retaining an independent arsenal.
Israel’s ongoing military presence in Lebanon further complicates Beirut’s
efforts to make its case.
“The continued military presence in Lebanon undermines the credibility of the
government overall, and not just among Hezbollah’s constituency,” Itani said.
“It is at risk of being perceived as capitulating to the enemy and making
concessions without receiving any in return.” Despite the pressure to disarm,
Hezbollah has spent three months preparing for a possible resumption of
hostilities, Reuters reported on Oct. 26, citing Lebanese security personnel
briefed on the group’s activities. The Iran-backed group has suffered severe
losses in two wars with Israel since 2024. However, security sources told
Reuters that Hezbollah had used the lull in hostilities since June to rearm
using Iranian funding. The group has also been restoring command-and-control
structures that were disrupted in key battles, Reuters reported.
But Hezbollah’s media office rejected the suggestion that those systems had
broken down. It also told Reuters that Israel’s occupation of Lebanese territory
made resistance a legitimate right.
Hussein Chokr, a policy expert based in Beirut, said Lebanon’s predicament
reflected both internal divisions and its limited ability to shape events beyond
its borders.
“No actor in Lebanon possesses the influence needed to insulate the country from
the broader regional reality,” he told Arab News. Lebanon’s geography and
exposure to regional rivalries prevented it from standing apart from the
conflict, Chokr said. Its leaders also lack the leverage to persuade the powers
shaping the region’s security arrangements to spare the country. Even dialogue
between the government and Hezbollah would run up against Israel’s determination
to maintain its presence in southern Lebanon, he said. That presence, Chokr
argued, reinforces the case Hezbollah’s supporters make for retaining its
weapons: The state cannot protect them and diplomacy has not secured a
withdrawal.
It also creates a dangerous contradiction for the government. Without an Israeli
withdrawal or an agreement with Hezbollah, Chokr said, the pursuit of
disarmament could lead to a confrontation with the group and its supporters.
Meanwhile, the continuing stalemate threatens to erode confidence in the
Lebanese state without resolving the security concerns of either side. Another
war would also be a hard strike on a country already struggling to stabilize its
economy and institutions.
“Lebanon is in the midst of a political, security and economic storm, struggling
to achieve the bare minimum of stability needed to prevent an explosion, nothing
more than that,” Chokr said.
Itani warned that renewed fighting would push recovery further out of reach by
weakening economic growth, straining infrastructure as people fled their homes,
and undermining the prospects for an international financial agreement. “An
international financial deal is of course less likely if the government is
overwhelmed by war and confidence in it is low,” he said. But the consequences
could extend beyond economic damage. “The real danger of another war is not
primarily economic; it is political and social,” Chokr said. In a country
already deeply divided over Hezbollah’s military role, he warned, renewed
conflict could threaten social cohesion and internal security. Some domestic
actors, Chokr added, “may seek to exploit the war as an opportunity to use force
against Hezbollah, potentially turning an already profound political crisis into
an internal security confrontation.”
Hezbollah’s Explosives Shipment: Latest Developments and
Defining the Key Tests Facing the Lebanese State
Dvir Peri/Irael-Alma/October 29, 2026
Latest Developments in the Investigation
Recent reports indicate that the investigation into the explosives shipment
seized at the Dahr al-Baydar (ضهر البيدر) checkpoint, en route from the Bekaa
Valley to Beirut, has expanded. On October 27, it was reported that the
explosives had been loaded at a warehouse in Baalbek and transported toward
Beirut’s southern suburb, the Dahieh, in a Dodge vehicle. An escort vehicle
traveled ahead to scout the road and secure the transfer route. This is a known
Hezbollah operating method that we have also observed in similar weapons
transfers within Lebanon. One example is the overturning of a weapons truck in
the Christian town of al-Kahaleh on August 9, 2023, at a bend near St. Antoine’s
Church, while traveling from the Bekaa Valley to Beirut. That incident escalated
into an exchange of fire between Hezbollah operatives and Lebanese Forces
members, leaving two people dead. In the present case, the escort vehicle passed
through the Dahr al-Baydar checkpoint before the explosives were seized. Its
occupants continued toward Beirut, where their trail was lost. [1]
On October 26, it was reported that the Information Branch of Lebanon’s Internal
Security Forces had identified three Hezbollah members who had traveled in the
escort vehicle, a Kia. Efforts to locate and arrest them were reportedly
underway, although their names had not been published. [2] The vehicle’s license
plates were also reportedly identified. [3]
Following the seizure, members of Hezbollah’s security coordination committee
reportedly moved quickly to disable surveillance cameras along the route from
Baalbek to Beirut. However, the security agencies reportedly obtained footage
from other cameras that had remained operational. Lebanese security authorities
are examining this footage alongside communications data to identify those who
traveled in the escort vehicle.[4] According to one report, the vehicle had
entered Lebanon from the Jarajir (جراجير) area in Syria through an illegal
crossing before reaching the Dahr al-Baydar checkpoint. [5]
Reports differ on the weight of the shipment. Local reporting put the quantity
found in the vehicle at 500 kilograms of explosives, including approximately 250
kilograms of TNT and a similar quantity of C4. Lebanese Justice Minister Adel
Nassar (عادل نصار), by contrast, referred to a shipment weighing 800 kilograms.
The shipment therefore contained hundreds of kilograms of explosives, although
its precise weight is not consistently reported. [6]
Military prosecutor Claude Ghanem (كلود غانم) is expected to complete the
investigation by the end of October at the latest and to pursue charges against
more than four individuals. In parallel, Lebanese Army Intelligence may have
questioned several Hezbollah members in recent days after their names were
mentioned in the detainees’ statements. They were reportedly released after no
direct involvement in the incident was established. [7]
The Detained Transporters Ali al-Kurdi and Haitham Amhaz
The two operatives arrested in the vehicle carrying the explosives were
identified as Ali al-Kurdi (علي الكردي) and Haitham Amhaz (هيثم أمهز). During
questioning, they claimed that they had been hired to drive the vehicle from the
Bekaa Valley to Beirut for payment, park it at a designated location, and hand
it over there. In this initial account, they claimed that they did not know the
contents of the shipment or the identities of those handing it over and
receiving it. According to reporting on his background, Amhaz had previously
been detained in a drug-trafficking case and had been released from prison some
time before the present incident. [8]
According to some reports, the two worked for Hezbollah without formal
organizational affiliation. Investigators were also reportedly examining
possible ties to individuals associated with Saraya al-Muqawama (سرايا المقاومة
– literally: “Resistance Brigades”). Hezbollah established this military proxy
framework in 1997 to enable Lebanese from different sectarian communities,
including Sunnis, Christians, and Druze, to participate in operations against
Israel without formally joining Hezbollah.
A separate report attributed direct membership in Saraya al-Muqawama to al-Kurdi.
A claim that one of the detainees was the son of a senior Hezbollah official was
also denied. [9]
Hezbollah’s Weapons Transfer Organizers Sajed and Dhu al-Fiqar
Two aliases emerged during the detainees’ questioning: “Sajed” (ساجد), who
reportedly handed the shipment to al-Kurdi and Amhaz in Baalbek, and “Dhu al-Fiqar”
(ذو الفقار), who was supposed to receive it in the al-Musharrafieh area of
Beirut’s southern suburb. Available open-source information does not establish
their identities or their roles within the organization. [10]
On October 19, it was reported that Lebanese Army Intelligence had identified
the two, but that they had not yet been arrested.[11] On October 20, a report
stated that Judge Claude Ghanem, acting as a government prosecutor at the
Military Court, had issued warrants to bring them before the judicial
authorities after their full identities had been verified. As of this writing,
their full names have not been published. A conflicting report dated October 21
stated that the Military Court was still awaiting the completion of the
investigation and that no warrants had yet been issued. [12]
Expansion of the Investigation to Amhaz’s Wife and the Vehicle Owner
On October 23, it was reported that the investigation had expanded to include
Haitham Amhaz’s wife and the owner of the seized vehicle. Judge Ghanem, acting
as a government prosecutor at the Military Court, issued notices to locate them
for questioning, but they did not appear.[13] Examination of the phones
belonging to the two detainees and Amhaz’s wife reportedly yielded additional
information. Further names may also have emerged as suspects with possible links
to the shipment. [14]
The Lebanese Justice Minister’s Position
In an interview on October 23, Justice Minister Adel Nassar stated that he had
submitted a formal proposal to refer the entire case to the Judicial Council (المجلس
العدلي). This is a special criminal court in Lebanon that hears cases involving
offenses against state security and certain crimes against public order,
referred to it by a cabinet decision. According to Nassar, the proposal was
registered with the cabinet secretariat and placed on the agenda after he had
raised the matter in earlier discussions and secured support from other
ministers, including those representing the Lebanese Forces party. Nassar
emphasized that the transportation and storage of the explosives themselves
posed a danger to the public and a threat to national security. He treated
Hezbollah’s statement as an acknowledgment that the explosives belonged to the
organization. He argued that even the military purpose Hezbollah attributed to
the materials, as part of its “resistance” against Israel, conflicted with
Lebanon’s constitution, the state’s exclusive authority over military force, and
the cabinet decision prohibiting the organization’s military activity. [15]
The cabinet decision of March 2, 2026, imposed an immediate ban on all Hezbollah
military and security activity, demanded that it surrender its weapons to the
state, and restricted its activities to the political sphere within the
framework of the law and constitution. Nassar’s position therefore rests on an
explicit government decision, in addition to his criticism of the danger posed
by transporting explosives. [16]
Alongside the claim that the shipment had a military purpose, Nassar raised the
possibility that the materials were intended for operations inside Lebanon. He
made clear that determining their intended use was a matter for the
investigation and the judiciary. His remarks do not establish that the shipment
was intended for an internal attack or assassination. Nevertheless, the public
discourse in Lebanon reflects widespread suspicion that the shipment was
intended for domestic use rather than operations against Israel. [17]
In an October 25 interview with Al Jadeed, Nassar said that President Joseph
Aoun and Prime Minister Nawaf Salam supported referring the case to the Judicial
Council in principle but disagreed with him over the timing. He announced that
he would continue raising the request at cabinet meetings. [18]
Hezbollah’s Justification
In a video published on October 21, Hezbollah MP Hussein al-Hajj Hassan (حسين
الحاج حسن) responded to Lebanese public criticism of the incident by calling for
an end to what he described as incitement. He suggested that the Lebanese
government was focusing on Hezbollah’s explosives while “the Israelis are
bringing 100 truckloads of explosives into Lebanon”.[19]
In another clip, al-Hajj Hassan addressed efforts to prevent Hezbollah from
transporting weapons across Lebanon and suggested that President Aoun should
“first prevent the Israelis from transporting weapons and carrying out
airstrikes” on Lebanese territory. [20]
In a further statement on October 25, al-Hajj Hassan accused American officials
of interfering in the Dahr al-Baydar shipment investigation and attempting to
“dictate to the judiciary what is acceptable and what is not.” He argued that
the government was contributing to tensions by yielding to American pressure
driven by Israeli interests, and warned of the implications of complying with
such “dictates” for Lebanon’s stability and national cohesion. [21]
At a cabinet meeting on October 22, Prime Minister Nawaf Salam delivered a
strongly worded statement on the Dahr al-Baydar incident. He said that the
storage or transportation of weapons and explosives by an unauthorized actor
violated the law and cabinet decisions, endangered public safety, and required
investigation, prosecution, and stringent punishment. Despite his remarks, the
decision on referring the case to the Judicial Council was postponed. Ministers
representing the Lebanese Forces walked out in protest, with the exception of
Justice Minister Adel Nassar.
According to reports, Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri, who heads the Amal
movement, held contacts aimed at averting a confrontation within the cabinet.
Hezbollah also conveyed a message through intermediaries that refraining from
referring the case to the Judicial Council could serve as a step toward
rebuilding relations between the organization and the presidency.
Threats and Warnings Between External Action and Internal Confrontation
Alongside the public statements, reports described threatening messages directed
at Lebanon’s security and judicial authorities. The Lebanese authorities
reportedly received a clear warning that any leniency in investigating the case
could prompt further Israeli military action. At the same time, Hezbollah
members conveyed messages to the authorities warning that legal action against
the organization, or any move to designate it a terrorist organization, could
provoke a response on the streets. [22]
Hezbollah made clear to the security agencies that operations against
apartments, warehouses, or senior figures associated with it in the Dahieh could
lead to confrontation. Publications aligned with the organization even portrayed
a raid conducted without coordination as a hostile act. Hezbollah also conveyed
forceful messages through political and media channels and reportedly considered
mobilizing street pressure if the government referred the case to the Judicial
Council.
On October 24, Hezbollah MP Ibrahim al-Moussawi (ابراهيم الموسوي) criticized the
government’s conduct, arguing that the state was failing to protect residents of
the south while pursuing and prosecuting members of the “resistance’s support
base.” Mahmoud Qmati (محمود قماطي), a member of Hezbollah’s Executive Council,
added that Hezbollah would not disarm and that this was out of the question. He
argued that disarmament would cause the state to disintegrate and lead to
disastrous consequences. Qmati added: “No one should test us. We are stronger
than the state.”
Conclusion
The Lebanese state once again faces a test of both capacity and political will.
Can it – and is it willing to – fully investigate the chain of responsibility
while Hezbollah demands the return of the vehicle and its contents and exerts
pressure against expanding and pursuing the investigation to its conclusion?
A central test is the state’s ability and willingness to arrest “Sajed” and “Dhu
al-Fiqar” and bring them in for questioning.
Failure to complete the investigation, uncover their full identities, arrest
them, and take measures informed by the findings to prevent further Hezbollah
weapons transfers within Lebanon – particularly to areas south of the Litani
River – would provide further evidence of the state’s inability to exercise its
sovereignty effectively.
https://israel-alma.org/hezbollahs-explosives-shipment-latest-developments-and-defining-the-key-tests-facing-the-lebanese-state/
[1] https://www.alhadath.net/2026/10/27/%D8%AC%D8% –
[2] https://www.mtv.com.lb/News/%D9%85%D8%
[3] https://www.almodon.com/politics/2026/10/26/%D8%AC%D8%
[4] https://www.alhadath.net/2026/10/27/%D8%AC%D8% –
[5] https://dailybeirut.com/%D9%84%D8% /
[6] https://www.lebanondebate.com/article/891976 ; https://kataeb.org/articles/-%D9%86%D8%
[7] https://www.almodon.com/politics/2026/10/28/%D9%83%D8%
[8] https://www.lebanondebate.com/article/887221
[9] https://www.lebanon24.com/news/lebanon/1581936 ; https://dailybeirut.com/%D9%84%D8%
2/
[10] https://www.almodon.com/politics/2026/10/21/%D8%B4%D8%
[11] https://www.mtv.com.lb/news/1749740
[12] https://www.mtv.com.lb/news/1749740 ; https://www.lebanondebate.com/article/890784
; https://www.almodon.com/politics/2026/10/21/%D8%B4%D8%
[13] https://www.thisislebanon.com/exclusive/789040/
[14] https://aawsat.com/%D8%A7%D9%84%
[15] https://x.com/AlArabiya/status/2113408811297919045 ; https://kataeb.org/articles/-%D9%86%D8%
[16] https://www.pcm.gov.lb/arabic/subpg.aspx?pageid=26904
[17] https://kataeb.org/articles/-%D9%86%D8%
[18] https://kataeb.org/articles/%D8%B9%D8%
[19] https://x.com/waqa2e3/status/2112879635377643977?a=6Y3m5So7fiPf8ekrmlA&s=20
[20] https://x.com/waqa2e3/status/2112942063012733158?a=YIIUgTc8EWHzFyatu3k&s=20
[21] https://alahednews.news/post/105724/%D8%A7%D9%
[22] https://www.almodon.com/politics/2026/10/21/%D8%B4%D8%
The Latest English LCCC Miscellaneous Reports And News
published on October 29-30/2026/
(Some of the News reports below are
translated from Arabic by AI)
US warns allies to prepare for possible Iran strikes after elections
Associated Press/29 October/2026
U.S. officials have told several Middle East countries and regional allies to be
prepared for potential renewed military action against Iran after next week's
midterm elections in the United States — as well as the possibility that Iran
will attempt to retaliate against them, according to two diplomats briefed on
the matter. Both of the diplomats spoke on the condition of anonymity because
they were not authorized to comment about the sensitive warnings conveyed by
U.S. diplomats and defense officials. President Donald Trump has not made a
final decision on whether to carry out new strikes against Iran, the diplomats
stressed. The president, however, has repeatedly said that he is weighing
ordering new military action once the critical Nov. 3 elections in the United
States are over. Those threats and the fresh U.S. urgings for allies to prepare
for potential retaliation are putting the region on alert that a return to major
operations could now be on the horizon. The White House and U.S. officials
declined to comment. Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said Wednesday in a
post on X that Tehran "continues to give diplomacy a chance to succeed" and is
working with mediators to review ideas that Tehran included in a proposal
floated last month — summarily rejected by Trump — that the Iranians still want
to see used as the basis to return to a ceasefire.
Meanwhile, the United Arab Emirates foreign ministry issued a statement urging
the sides to "exercise wisdom and pursue political solutions to help contain
tensions" and prevent a return to full-scale operations in the war that began in
late February. The U.S. has told regional allies that the new round of military
action could last for several days, but regional officials are bracing for Iran
and its proxy groups to retaliate — leading to a fight that could last even
longer, the diplomats said. The allies have also been urged by U.S. officials to
take precautionary measures in anticipation that Iran's response will include
retaliatory strikes on energy facilities and other crucial infrastructure. It's
unclear how soon the US military would be ready. While the U.S. has not carried
out a strike against Iran since early September, the situation in the Middle
East has become more complicated.
The Wall Street Journal reported earlier on Gulf nations being briefed to be
prepared for potential escalation by the U.S.It's unclear how soon after
Election Day that the U.S. military would be ready to potentially resume
strikes.The Pentagon late last month deployed the USS Theodore Roosevelt, along
with a series of amphibious landing ships with Marines aboard -- roughly 9,000
troops in all -- from San Diego to the Persian Gulf to bolster the U.S. military
in the region. At the time, one U.S. official said this deployment could lead to
an unusually high naval presence of more than 20,000 sailors and Marines, as
well as hundreds of aircraft, in the region, which has only occurred a handful
of times in the last two decades. The Navy had three carrier strike groups in
the Middle East in April for the first time since 2003. Late Wednesday, reports
emerged that Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth had fired the Pentagon's top
military planner. Army Lt. Gen. Brett Sylvia was removed as head of strategy,
plans and policy on the Joint Chiefs of Staff, according to a defense official
who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss sensitive personnel matters. That
official said there is no immediate replacement for Sylvia and no reason has
been given for the firing. Trump, who has focused in recent weeks on campaigning
for Republicans ahead of the Nov. 3 elections, has been evasive about what he
plans to do next with Iran. The war has proved to be a heavy weight on
Republican candidates as they make their case to voters who are fatigued by
rising gasoline prices, a byproduct of the war that's driven up costs across
nearly every sector in the global economy. The cost of fighting the Iran war to
American taxpayers has grown to $47.1 billion, according to the latest estimate
the Pentagon has provided to Congress.
While campaigning for Republicans, Trump has consistently assured voters that
the war's end is near, while also threatening that a new round of bombing could
be coming once the election passes.
During a campaign stop in Lubbock, Texas, on Tuesday, Trump said a conclusive
end to the eight-month-old conflict could be coming "in a couple of weeks, if
you don't mind." "Somebody asked me before, when will the war in Iran end?"
Trump said earlier in the same address. "I said, 'Whenever I want it to end.'
It'll be very quick, but we have to have it end properly, with total and
complete -- a total statement, they will never have a nuclear weapon." Trump may
be looking at a postelection timeline for possible action, but the region is on
edge that Tehran could do something provocative before then -- especially if
they feel U.S. actions is imminent, said Jonathan Schanzer, executive director
at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies, a hawkish Washington think tank.
"Why would they wait until after the elections here ... if they could initiate
it and potentially gain the upper hand?" he said.
Bessent says Iran’s funding for proxies is being cut off
Reuters/29 October/2026
US efforts to economically isolate Iran have been “very successful” and Tehran
is cutting off funding for its proxies, US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent told
CNBC on Wednesday. “In the summer, the elected officials started worrying out
loud about the economy. Now, publicly and privately, the IRGC (Islamic
Revolutionary Guard Corps) is very concerned. They’re talking about a collapse,”
he said. “They’re not able to get dollars,” Bessent added. “What we are also
seeing too, their proxies - whether it’s the Houthis, Hamas, or Hezbollah -
their funding is being cut off.”
Iran Reportedly Received Letter from US Vice President, Has Not Replied Yet
Asharq Al Awsat/29 October/2026
Iranian media reported on Thursday that Tehran had received a letter from US
Vice President JD Vance but had not yet responded, amid efforts to revive peace
talks between the countries. Tasnim news agency reported that "Iran has received
the letter but has not yet responded," while Fars news agency carried a similar
account, citing "a source familiar with the matter.” The Wall Street Journal
reported on Wednesday that Vance had sent the letter to Iranian security chief
Mohsen Rezaei at the direction of US President Donald Trump, in a bid to revive
negotiations and avert new US strikes. The letter and subsequent contact between
US and Iranian officials focused on a possible framework for negotiations rather
than specific terms for a peace deal, the newspaper reported. The war began on
February 28 with US-Israeli strikes on Iran that killed former supreme leader
Ali Khamenei and senior military commanders. Iran retaliated with attacks on
Israel and US assets in the region and imposed restrictions on shipping through
the Strait of Hormuz, a waterway that normally carries about one-fifth of global
oil consumption. The United States has also imposed a blockade on Iranian
ports.The reported correspondence comes as diplomatic efforts to end the war
have yet to produce a lasting agreement. On Wednesday, Iranian Foreign Minister
Abbas Araghchi said Tehran was discussing a plan with mediators, mainly Qatar
and Pakistan, to end the war and reopen the waterway. Tehran insists that
Washington meet seven conditions it has set for reopening the strait. The
conditions include a ceasefire across the Middle East, the unfreezing of Iranian
assets abroad, the lifting of sanctions on its oil sector and an end to the US
naval blockade.Tasnim reported that "any position that undermines this firm
framework established by Iran is unacceptable.”
Iran Guards Says Three Tankers on Fire after Hitting Mines in Hormuz
Asharq Al Awsat/29 October 2026
Iran's Revolutionary Guards said Thursday that three tankers had caught fire
after hitting mines while attempting to navigate the Strait of Hormuz, a day
after the US military insisted it had demined key routes through the waterway.
"Over the past 24 hours, three violating oil tankers exploded and caught fire
after striking mines while attempting to pass through the unauthorized southern
route of the Strait of Hormuz," the IRGC said in a statement. The vessels had
"switched off all their radar and navigation systems" and disregarded warnings
from the IRGC navy, the statement said. It was not immediately clear when the
incidents occurred, or which flags the tankers were flying. In recent weeks,
Iran has reported multiple vessels striking sea mines, prompting US Central
Command (CENTCOM), which runs military operations in the region, to reaffirm on
social media its insistence that all mines in "primary transit routes" have been
cleared. On Thursday, Hossein Mohebi, the spokesman for the IRGC challenged the
claim, saying: "Prove your Hormuz mine-clearing claim with independent evidence,
not statements!" in a post on X. Since the outbreak of the war on February 28,
Iran has severely restricted traffic through the strategic waterway, which
normally carries about one-fifth of global oil and gas consumption. The United
States has in response imposed a blockade on Iranian ports and helped tankers to
travel the waterway. On Sunday CENTCOM said it had helped Gulf countries export
1.5 billion barrels of oil via Hormuz since the summer. Iran considers ships
using the southern corridor near the Omani coast unauthorized. In their
statement on Thursday, the Guards said "the IRGC Navy states that the
unauthorized route through the Strait of Hormuz is mined, and that vessel owners
and crews are responsible for transiting these routes and should not pay
attention to CENTCOM's delusions on social media". Earlier in the day, the
British maritime agency UKMTO said it had received a report of a ship on fire in
the strait but gave no details about the cause or any casualties. It was not
immediately clear if it was one of the three ships referred to by the Guards.
They also said they had captured a US reconnaissance drone during an operation
in the Strait of Hormuz in a separate statement. "The IRGC Navy announced that
its electronic warfare unit had successfully captured a US MQM-170 drone during
an offensive operation in the western Strait of Hormuz," the statement said.
Israel piles pressure on Arab parties as Netanyahu seeks government
Agence France Presse/29 October 2026
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's bloc on Thursday piled pressure on Israeli
Arab leaders over unproven accusations of foreign funding, in a push to neuter
parties that could hold the key to forming a government after an inconclusive
election. Israeli President Isaac Herzog called for an investigation into
allegations of fraud but cautioned against stigmatizing the entire Arab Israeli
community, who voted at unprecedented rates. Israel was nearing the completion
of ballot-counting from Tuesday's election, in which neither Netanyahu nor the
opposition bloc led by former military chief Gadi Eisenkot looked able to secure
a majority in the parliament known as the Knesset. The Netanyahu camp's
accusations, which a key Arab party has rejected, could bring uncertainty to the
electoral process at a time when the threat of a return to war with Iran looms
over the region. Israel's election saw soaring participation by Israeli Arabs,
descendants of Palestinians who stayed after the country's creation in 1948, as
outrage boiled at calls by officials such as National Security Minister Itamar
Ben Gvir to treat their community much as Israel has dealt with Palestinians in
Gaza and the occupied West Bank. Following Netanyahu's accusations of
impropriety, Ben Gvir went so far as to encourage Israel to "immediately" order
the arrests of Arab party leaders. Raam party leader Mansour Abbas said he
welcomed an investigation into claims of wrongdoing, adding that his moderate
Islamist party had "no connection" with the accusations.
The Arab parties together have enough votes to take the opposition bloc over the
finish line, but Eisenkot has baulked after relentless attacks by Netanyahu, who
warned his right-wing Jewish base that voting for the opposition would put Arabs
in power.
Political earthquake'
Supreme Court Justice Noam Sohlberg, a conservative who heads the Central
Election Commission, requested an investigation by the Shin Bet security service
into allegations that Raam received money from Qatar, the energy-rich Gulf
powerbroker that has channels to Hamas. "The Raamgate scandal is a political
earthquake. Israel's elections have been stolen!" Netanyahu's Likud party said.
Government officials did not offer evidence to back the allegations, and
left-wing candidate Yair Golan accused Netanyahu of attempting to stir
controversy after failing to get a majority. "Now he is trying to challenge the
election results through an ugly delegitimization campaign against the will of
the people, and against the Arab public in particular."Netanyahu himself has
long been under the cloud of allegations related to Qatar after the arrests last
year of two of his aides for allegedly receiving payments from the Gulf state.
Netanyahu, Israel's longest-serving prime minister, for years tacitly supported
Qatar funding for Hamas-ruled Gaza, hoping to preserve stability. That paradigm
collapsed on October 7, 2023, when Hamas carried out the deadliest single attack
ever on Israel under Netanyahu's watch.
Kingmakers under pressure
With nearly 93 percent of the vote counted, Netanyahu's bloc was at 53 seats and
the opposition forces led by Eisenkot on 48 -- both well under the 61 needed to
form a government.
The two main Arab formations were on track for an unprecedented 19 seats between
them. Some observers quickly said that the allegations would help Netanyahu by
making the Arab lawmakers even more toxic to Eisenkot. Yousef Jabareen, the head
of the leftist Arab-majority Joint List, told AFP on Wednesday that he was
willing to cooperate with the opposition to bring down Netanyahu but without
joining it in a government. In response to the new allegations, Eisenkot said he
was receiving updates and promised "utmost vigilance" against election
interference. "On the other hand, we cannot allow political actors to exploit
the situation and influence the timing of the inauguration of the 26th Knesset,"
he said.One of Eisenkot's right-leaning allies, Avigdor Lieberman, called the
allegations "dramatic and unprecedented" and urged a swift investigation.An
Israeli police statement said that they would investigate every complaint about
election integrity.
- The great survivor -
Netanyahu, who has led Israel on and off for more than 19 years, is known as a
wily political operator. He tried on Tuesday to raise allegations of fraud,
saying that Arab parties were caught with envelopes of cash, and his Likud party
peddled the accusations throughout Thursday. Police said they arrested three
suspects but the election commission called it an isolated local case. Another
factor that could play into the formation of a government is an attack on Iran.
Netanyahu has repeatedly threatened to strike Iran, with his ally U.S. President
Donald Trump signaling he was ready to attack after next Tuesday's U.S. midterm
elections, in which his Republican Party is forecast to lose ground. Eisenkot
has warned the military that Netanyahu has no mandate and that officers must put
Israel's security over the premier's "political needs". An attack could raise
pressure on Eisenkot to join an emergency unity government, an option he has
publicly ruled out, or keep the clock running until Israel can call new
elections. President Herzog will decide after the publication of the official
results which person to task with a first chance of forming a government.
Israelis Await Final Election Results as Difficult Choices Lie Ahead
Asharq Al Awsat/29 October/2026
Israelis on Thursday waited for final election results to confirm what they see
taking shape: No majority of parliament seats for Prime Minister Benjamin
Netanyahu and his allies, or for the array of parties seeking to unseat him.
Difficult decisions lie in the weeks ahead, including whether some Jewish and
Arab parties would team up in a historic alliance, or whether some parties that
campaigned on ousting Netanyahu would toss that aside and join forces with the
deeply divisive prime minister. While this plays out, Netanyahu remains in
charge. Final results could come as early as Thursday evening after about a
half-million absentee ballots are counted from military personnel, diplomats,
people in prisons and hospitals, and others. They are not expected to sway the
results dramatically. Local media projected 53 parliament seats for Netanyahu's
bloc, 48 seats for opposition parties and 19 for Arab-led ones, which also want
Netanyahu out. Potential complications emerged. The head of the Central
Elections Committee asked the Shin Bet intelligence service to investigate
alleged foreign interference in the vote. The letter dated Wednesday mentions
alleged funding by “foreign entities against the Israeli interest,” without
specifics, and could not speak to the validity of the claims. It requests
findings within the week. Israeli law requires election results to be certified
by Nov. 4.Netanyahu's Likud party swiftly seized on the request to the Shin Bet,
while the opposition has warned against “scare tactics.”
Netanyahu's Likud targets Arab-led parties
Likud, despite receiving the most votes, earlier accused Arab-led parties of
stealing the election and asked the election committee to investigate. It did
not provide specific evidence to support its claims. The election committee has
said the number of reported irregularities in the relatively calm election was
low. Even without a role in a coalition, Arab-led parties could support other
Netanyahu opponents in the next parliament, set to convene on Nov. 10. That
could include electing a new speaker, giving them control of the agenda and
potentially allowing them to advance and pass legislation before a new
government is formed. Netanyahu's chief rival, former military chief Gadi
Eisenkot, in his first public statement since an address to supporters early
Wednesday spoke of a government in service to all and reflecting the will of the
people. Eisenkot did not mention the prospect of joining forces with the
Arab-led parties that had a strong showing, as some Arab citizens broke
longstanding vows never to vote in a country where they have long faced
discrimination. But he has said he is open to working with them to reach the
61-seat majority needed to control the 120-seat Knesset. Ahmad Tibi, head of the
Arab-led Joint List, told Army Radio he’s heard from the opposition bloc to
discuss replacing the Knesset speaker, and he told them the party would support
the bloc’s candidate. He also urged Eisenkot to have political courage. The
Joint List has noted the “unprecedented show of strength" by Arab voters and the
Jewish voters “willing to swim against the tide of racism.”There were small
rallies overnight in Tel Aviv, and in far more conservative Jerusalem, in
support of a coalition that includes Arab-led parties. Until 2021, no Arab party
had joined a coalition government, and that was brief. Israel’s president next
week will task someone with forming the next government. It has traditionally
been the leader of the party with the most votes, but that’s not required. If a
new government cannot be formed after multiple attempts, Israel would face a new
election early next year. On Wednesday, President Isaac Herzog signaled he
wanted to avoid that step – something Eisenkot has said as well.
New elections bring new questions, including whether Arab citizens would again
go to the polls in large numbers and whether the tens of thousands of Israelis
who flew home to vote would do it again. Many had said they took that step to
save the country from Netanyahu. A deeply divided Israel might see Netanyahu
stay on Israel, already divided along multiple fault lines – Jews and Arabs,
secular and religious – entered the election with huge and painful issues at
stake. Those include whether the fast-growing ultra-Orthodox population should
remain exempted from compulsory military service in a country where many
families have seen their sons and daughters killed in three years of
inconclusive wars. Netanyahu, Israel’s longest-serving prime minister, has been
especially polarizing, with corruption allegations hanging over him along with
accusations that he delayed making deals over the war in Gaza, including to free
hostages, for political gain. While many Israelis voted with security issues
first in mind, the country’s international standing is also at stake after
widespread criticism over the treatment of Palestinians in Gaza and growing
violence by Jewish settlers in the occupied West Bank. For Arab citizens, who
make up 20% of Israel’s population, there is cautious hope of change. “God
willing, we will have something for us in the government, something that will
bring us our rights,” said Brosli Elias, a resident of Nazareth, one of Israel’s
largest Arab cities. Meanwhile, the threat of further strikes against Iran adds
to the election uncertainty, as the Trump administration has spoken of new
attacks after the midterm elections on Nov. 3. Experts have said Netanyahu could
seize on a renewed all-out war to press for a unity government with him in
charge. That could delay what Netanyahu has long resisted: a public inquiry into
the security failures that led to the deadliest extremist attack on Israel in
the country’s history, the Hamas-led assault on Oct. 7, 2023, that sparked the
war in Gaza.
Israeli Elections Official: No Evidence Arab Parties 'Stole' Election
Tel Aviv: Asharq Al Awsat/29 October/2026
Israel's Central Elections Committee has rejected allegations of electoral fraud
following the strong showing by Arab parties in Tuesday's parliamentary
elections, saying there is no evidence to support claims that Arab voters
"stole" the election, according to dpa. Dean Livne, acting director-general of
the committee, told Israel's Kan public broadcaster there was no evidence that
Arab parties had obtained votes illegally. A senior police official also
dismissed the allegations as propaganda tactics with no factual basis. The
official told Haaretz that authorities had received fewer complaints of election
irregularities than in previous elections. Police Commissioner Daniel Levy said
every election-related complaint would be examined and investigated thoroughly
and impartially. He added that if any criminal activity was suspected, police
would act decisively to uncover the truth and bring those responsible to
justice.
For his part, Mansour Abbas, leader of the United Arab List (Ra'am), denied that
his party had any involvement in the alleged fraud, according to Israeli media
reports. Arab parties nearly doubled their representation compared with the 2022
elections, winning 19 seats in the 120-member Knesset.
Palestinian Authority, West Bank Palestinians Await
Formation of Next Israeli Government
Ramallah: Kefah Zaboun/Asharq Al-Awsat/October 29/2026
When Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu adopted his familiar campaign
slogan, "The Right or Palestine," during the latest elections, he was seeking to
turn voters against his rivals, Gadi Eisenkot, Naftali Bennett and Avigdor
Lieberman, claiming that they would grant Palestinians a state if they won and
bring disaster upon Israel. Regardless of how many Israelis believed Netanyahu's
claims, Palestinians were never convinced. They know better than anyone that
none of Israel's political leaders, whether from the far right, center-right or
left, are prepared to grant them statehood or even autonomy at this stage.
Despite this widespread understanding, Palestinians have followed the elections
minute by minute and are awaiting the final results with unprecedented interest.
The next Israeli prime minister and the ministers serving alongside him will
largely determine what life looks like in the West Bank and Gaza Strip over the
coming years. An informed Palestinian source told Asharq Al-Awsat: "We realize
that no government will launch a political process at this stage. It is
difficult and complicated, and none of them intends to grant us the right to
self-determination and statehood. But we will never abandon that right, and we
will continue struggling for it through every available means."The source added:
"Many other critical issues are at stake: the future of the Palestinian
Authority, the economic situation, the future of the West Bank, security
conditions there, settler terrorism, the future of the Gaza Strip,
reconstruction and governance in Gaza. All these issues depend on the coalition
that comes to power in Israel." "If Netanyahu's right-wing coalition remains in
power, with ministers such as Itamar Ben-Gvir and Bezalel Smotrich, we will face
a difficult and complicated situation with an uncertain future. But if Gadi
Eisenkot forms a government, or even if a unity government emerges without Ben-Gvir
and Smotrich, we could see some relief," the source said.
The Palestinian Authority
The Palestinian Authority is closely monitoring the electoral process and hoping
for Eisenkot's success and Netanyahu's defeat. It believes that improvements in
security and economic conditions may be possible under any new Israeli
government other than the current one. A government willing to negotiate
outstanding economic and security issues, release withheld Palestinian funds and
resume regular financial transfers would be considered the lesser of two evils.
The Palestinian Authority has refrained from expressing this position publicly,
maintaining silence and exercising considerable caution while describing the
elections as an internal Israeli matter. During the previous elections in 2022,
the PA attempted to help defeat Netanyahu, prompting Israel's domestic security
agency, Shin Bet, to issue an explicit "stern warning" against interfering in
the electoral process. The warning followed a meeting between Palestinian
intelligence chief Majed Faraj and leaders of Arab political parties in Israel.
Israeli officials said the meeting was intended to persuade the Arab parties to
unite, while the PA maintained that the elections had not been discussed.
Israeli reports at the time said the PA had expressed concern to Arab party
leaders that low Arab voter turnout could return Netanyahu to power at the head
of a hardline right-wing government. The reports also claimed that the
Palestinian official had gone as far as accusing Arab lawmakers of failing to do
enough to prevent such an outcome.This time, the PA made no attempt to meet Arab
political leaders. Nevertheless, it undoubtedly maintained channels of
communication with them through various means. The PA is pleased with the number
of Knesset seats won by Arab parties, which effectively prevents Netanyahu from
securing an outright victory.
The "Erasure Project"
Netanyahu led a far-right government that escalated its measures against
Palestinians in the West Bank on multiple fronts while waging a bloody war in
the Gaza Strip. During this period, his government worked to weaken the
Palestinian Authority, withheld its revenues and gave settlers a free hand to
kill, attack and seize land in the West Bank. It also advanced plans to expand
existing settlements and establish new ones, connecting them through contiguous
settlement corridors. The government established approximately 1,000 military
checkpoints and gates across the West Bank in an attempt to confine Palestinians
within Area A. Netanyahu's government also annulled the Hebron Agreement
governing the West Bank's largest city and introduced an electronic land
registration and rights settlement system in the occupied Palestinian
territories. The move marked a dramatic step that could deepen the annexation of
the West Bank, leaving the Palestinian Authority without sovereignty and
Palestinians without legal protection. Together, these policies served what has
been described as a project to "erase" Palestinians as a people. According to an
extensive investigation by the Israeli human rights organization B'Tselem, this
erasure project targets the Palestinian presence in the West Bank through an
interconnected system of five measures: violence and intimidation, restrictions
on movement, economic strangulation, political and social destruction, and
ethnic cleansing and the seizure of territory.
"They Turned Our Lives into Hell"
Ahmed Taim, 50, from Ramallah in the West Bank, told Asharq Al-Awsat: "We don't
expect any significant change from any government. They're all the same. But if
people other than Netanyahu, Ben-Gvir and Smotrich come to power, things might
improve when it comes to everyday life."
He added: "If they transfer the money to the Palestinian Authority, do more to
restrain settlers, allow workers to return to their jobs in Israel, ease the
pressure on the West Bank and reduce checkpoints and gates, that would make a
huge difference to people's lives. That matters."
Palestinians in the West Bank are facing severe economic hardship, daily
restrictions and delays at checkpoints, Israeli military operations and deadly
settler attacks, making everyday life extremely difficult. Mousa Awad, from
Bethlehem, expressed hope that Arab parties would succeed in "sending Netanyahu,
Ben-Gvir and Smotrich home."
"They have turned our lives into hell," he said. The suffering has not been
confined to Palestinians in the West Bank. It has also extended to prisoners in
Israeli jails, where Ben-Gvir has deprived them of food, visits and privileges
they previously enjoyed.
The mother of Palestinian prisoner Khaldoun Obeiyat said she prays every day for
her son and for Ben-Gvir's departure. "He has turned the prisons into
graveyards. My heart burns for my son every time news reaches us from prison.
God willing, he will leave and never return," she told Asharq Al-Awsat.
Palestinians will now have to wait weeks, perhaps longer, for Israel's political
situation to be resolved. They may then face many more months of waiting before
a new government, if one is formed, takes any significant measures affecting
their lives.
Palestinian president says hopes for peace talks with new Israeli government
AFP/October 29, 2026
NICOSIA: Palestinian president Mahmoud Abbas said on Thursday that he hoped the
election of a new Israeli government would allow for the resumption of peace
talks. “For many years now, we have been extending a hand to the Israeli side in
order to achieve peace with them, so that Israel and Palestine may live in
security, stability and peace,” Abbas said during a meeting with Cypriot
President Nikos Christodoulides in Nicosia. “We hope that, immediately after a
new Israeli government is formed, we will be able to engage in dialogue
together,” he added. With almost all ballots counted from Israel’s pivotal
election, neither the bloc of veteran Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu nor the
opposition bloc led by former military chief Gadi Eisenkot looked able to secure
a majority in parliament. The uncertain outcome might mean weeks of trying to
cobble together coalitions. The Israeli-Palestinian peace process has been
stalled for years, despite the recognition of the State of Palestine by a
growing number of countries. Under Netanyahu’s watch, settlement construction
and violence against Palestinians has soared in the occupied West Bank, where
Abbas’ Palestinian Authority exercises limited self-rule. Ministers in
Netanyahu’s hard-right coalition have openly called for Israel’s annexation of
the West Bank and advocated policies encouraging Palestinians to leave the
territory as well as the war-ravaged Gaza Strip.Netanyahu led Israel in a
devastating war which has left much of Gaza in rubble following Hamas’s
unprecedented October 7, 2023 attack. Israel has since 1967 occupied the West
Bank, where more than 500,000 Israelis live in settlements illegal under
international law among some three million Palestinians.
Israel’s Arab parties emerge as kingmakers — but coalition doors remain closed
Gabriele Malvisi/Arab News/October 29, 2026
LONDON: Israel’s Arab parties have emerged as potential kingmakers after
securing a record 19 seats in the Knesset, but turning their electoral gains
into political influence may prove far harder than winning the votes. A surge in
turnout among Palestinian citizens of Israel has complicated the calculations of
rival blocs led by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Gadi Eisenkot, neither
of which has an easy route to a governing majority. Exit polls on Tuesday night
initially put Eisenkot’s anti-Netanyahu bloc on 54 seats, roughly five ahead of
the prime minister’s alliance. Within hours, the positions had almost reversed.
Outgoing National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir’s Otzma Yehudit, which had
expected substantial gains, fared worse than anticipated. For the Joint List, an
alliance of Arab-majority parties initially tipped to win about 10 seats, and
Ra’am, or the United Arab List, the results were more encouraging.
Together, the Arab parties won 19 seats — their strongest showing to date —
giving them unprecedented leverage in the negotiations over Israel’s next
government. Palestinian citizens of Israel, largely descendants of Palestinians
who remained after the state’s creation and accounting for about one-fifth of
the population, have grown increasingly frustrated with Netanyahu’s
ultranationalist approach to Israel and the Palestinian territories. “The strong
showing of the Arab parties in Israeli politics reflect the well-founded anxiety
Palestinian citizens of Israel feel about the increasingly racist drift
overtaking Israeli politics,” said Omar Baddar, a Washington-based political
analyst. “It is the reaction of a people who refuse to sit in their hands when
Palestinians are facing an existential threat, not just in the occupied
territories, but inside Israel as well.”Yet the election has produced a complex
political landscape. Likud remains the largest single party with 27 seats,
followed by Eisenkot’s Yashar with 21, leaving the prospect of forming a
majority without some form of Arab support exceedingly remote. Netanyahu’s bloc
has ruled out a coalition with the Joint List, which has likewise rejected
joining him. Eisenkot has indicated greater flexibility, but deep mistrust means
any understanding would be difficult and driven more by political necessity than
by a shared agenda. The deadlock could work in Netanyahu’s favor. Although he
has failed to secure a clear majority, he could remain caretaker prime minister
through prolonged coalition talks — or until another election. Baddar said the
impasse exposed a contradiction in the opposition’s approach to Arab political
representation.
“Because the Israeli electorate is deeply anti-Palestinian, we find ourselves in
an ironic situation where the anti-Netanyahu bloc is perfectly capable of
ousting him, but are held back by their refusal to form a coalition with
Palestinian parties in the Knesset. Treating these parties as a legitimate part
of the system may be a scarier prospect for some than the continued reign of
Netanyahu's corruption and terror,” he said. “The success of the Arab parties is
a real challenge for the entire system, because too many parties — with the
exception of the Democrats — say they won’t share power with them,” Yossi
Mekelberg, professor of international relations and an associate fellow of the
MENA Program at Chatham House, told Arab News. “When you have 19 (seats), Arab
parties don’t fulfil or exhaust their electoral potential — this time they’re
basically there,” he said, adding that “there is a decision to be made.”On
Thursday, Netanyahu’s bloc alleged that Qatari money and bribery had helped
drive the unusually high turnout among Arab voters. Arab leaders described the
allegations as a calculated attempt to undermine the community’s newfound
political influence. Qatar dismissed the accusations as “ridiculous and
dangerous,” while Election Committee officials said claims of systematic fraud
were likely baseless. President Isaac Herzog called for an investigation, but
warned against stigmatizing the Arab Israeli community as a whole.
Critics see the allegations as part of Netanyahu’s long-running effort to
delegitimize Arab parties and make them politically unacceptable as potential
partners for Eisenkot. “The more Netanyahu tries to delegitimize them, the more
you see that they are important and become pivotal in this election,” Mekelberg
said, adding that Eisenkot’s response suggests “they can’t ignore it
anymore.”Eisenkot accused Netanyahu of leading an “illegitimate influence
operation” aimed at undermining the election results. His comments do not amount
to an offer of a formal agreement with Arab lawmakers, but the parliamentary
arithmetic may eventually force him to consider one. Any discussions would
likely begin with Ra’am and its leader, Mansour Abbas, whose party joined the
right-leaning government led by Naftali Bennett, now aligned with Eisenkot’s
bloc. Abbas, who has a Jewish Zionist deputy and has shown a willingness to
compromise, said his priority was to “bring down Benjamin Netanyahu, (Bezalel)
Smotrich, and Ben-Gvir in this election.”Ra’am is the smaller of the two main
Arab groupings, with eight seats, raising doubts about whether an arrangement
with Abbas alone could give Eisenkot a stable majority. Another possible route
emerged on Thursday, when The Times of Israel reported that the ultra-Orthodox
United Torah Judaism party had proposed supporting an Eisenkot-led government
from outside the coalition in exchange for military draft exemptions. Such a
deal might allow Eisenkot to bypass the Joint List, but it would collide with
his bloc’s pledge to support universal military service. “There is an
opportunity there — and a danger,” Mekelberg said. “The danger is that
right-wing parties really go on a campaign of delegitimization and take it as
far as they can. And this is really dangerous in a democracy. “You can’t exclude
21 percent of the population a priori with no evidence of wrongdoing. On the
other hand, the opportunity is to normalize the fact that there are Arab parties
as part of the political system — not just elected to the Knesset, but part of
governing the country.”
Negotiating with the Joint List, projected to hold at least 11 seats, would be
more difficult.
Eisenkot has set four conditions for cooperation: recognition of Israel as a
Jewish and democratic state, acceptance of the values in its declaration of
independence, support for conscription among Palestinian citizens of Israel, and
denunciation of Hamas as a terrorist organisation. Amjad Shbita, general
secretary of Hadash, the largest faction in the Joint List, rejected the idea
that Eisenkot could dictate the terms. “Laying down conditions won’t work with
the Joint List,” he said. “We will negotiate as equals because we need each
other.”The Joint List is seeking full civic and national equality for
Palestinian citizens of Israel; recognition of their collective rights as part
of the Palestinian people; an end to the war in Gaza; opposition to settlement
expansion and occupation; and a political path to an independent Palestinian
state along the 1967 borders, with East Jerusalem as its capital. Those demands
are unlikely to be fully accepted by Eisenkot and his allies. Ra’am also
supports Palestinian statehood and an end to the conflict, but has taken a more
pragmatic approach, emphasising improvements in the lives of Arab citizens
through participation in government. “Sometimes with kingmakers, you need the
kings to want someone to make them,” Mekelberg said. “They need to want it, to
be part of a coalition. In my humble opinion, it’s more than possible — at least
with some of them, definitely with Ra’am and Mansour Abbas.”Whether that
mobilization translates into political gains will depend on the willingness of
other parties to engage with Arab lawmakers. As of Thursday, one possible
outcome was a government formed to remove Netanyahu from office, with the Joint
List prepared to support an opposition-led administration without formally
joining it. “We do not see the possibility of being part of an Israeli
government coalition under the current political circumstances, particularly
given the ongoing war in Gaza, the settlements in the West Bank and other
issues,” bloc leader Yousef Jabareen said. He argued that Israelis had voted for
a change in leadership and that “anyone who wants to offer a substantive and
genuine alternative to Netanyahu’s blood-soaked government will have to talk to
us. It’s either the continuation of racism, exclusion and supremacy, or a
genuine Jewish-Arab partnership.”Although the election was widely portrayed as a
referendum on Netanyahu, Mekelberg cautioned that “the situation is way more
complicated than this.” Removing him, he said, would require skilful political
manoeuvring. Economic and social pressures facing Israel were largely
overshadowed during the campaign by security concerns, a pattern Mekelberg said
had allowed Netanyahu to shape the opposition’s priorities. “Unfortunately, the
opposition usually follows the agenda set by Netanyahu — on security, about
Iran, forgetting Gaza,” he said. For Palestinians, the coalition talks offer
little immediate clarity about whether policy on the ground will change. “First
you need to see the composition of the government, and then where you take it
from there,” Mekelberg said. “Because the voters ended up basically with a mess,
and this mess can be organised in different ways. It’s a bit of a Lego. It
depends what you do with it; it can be beautiful, or it can be not so
beautiful.”
How Can Gaza's Children Make Up for Years of Lost Education?
Beirut: Chadi Abdel Sater/Asharq Al-Awsat/October 29/2026
After nearly three years of war, children in the Gaza Strip face a long road to
recovering lost learning, with significant gaps in reading, writing and
mathematics, destroyed schools, and psychological and living conditions that
make regular attendance difficult. Two education experts who spoke to Asharq Al-Awsat
said addressing the learning losses suffered by Gaza's children could require
programs lasting several years, beginning with assessments of what each child
already knows and what they still need to learn.
Reading and Writing Difficulties
While in Gaza, Dr. Ahmed Kamal Junina, head of the English Department at Al-Aqsa
University, witnessed the effects of disrupted education through his own
children and conversations with relatives and parents of schoolchildren. He
found that one of the most serious problems was that many children lacked even
basic reading and writing skills. "I believe we are facing profound learning
losses that continue to accumulate over time, with the extent varying from one
child to another," Junina, currently a fellow-in-residence at Harvard
University's Radcliffe Institute for Advanced Study, told Asharq Al-Awsat. The
prospect of returning to school after nearly three years of war raises questions
about children's actual learning levels, the limited hours available for
instruction and how to design programs that allow them to continue their
education without falling further behind. The gaps include skills children
previously acquired but have since lost through lack of practice, as well as
foundational skills others never had the opportunity to develop. Even when
students are promoted to higher grades, weak reading skills can prevent them
from keeping up with other subjects, allowing new difficulties to accumulate on
top of unresolved learning gaps. According to Junina, children have also lost
the structure of school routines and daily interaction with teachers and
classmates, experiences that help shape their personalities and develop social
and life skills. To illustrate the limited learning opportunities available,
Junina cited a UNICEF survey conducted between December 2025 and January 2026,
covering 2,071 households in Gaza. The survey found that 68% of children aged
five to 11 had participated in educational activities for three months or less
between October 2023 and the time of the survey.
That figure reflects the duration of children's participation in education,
however, rather than the extent of their learning losses, which would require
direct assessment.Needs That Must Be Addressed Before Learning Can Begin. A
child's ability to benefit from education can be undermined by unaddressed
physical or psychological needs. Junina cited a case documented by War Child, a
Netherlands-based organization supporting children affected by conflict,
involving Karim, a seven-year-old Palestinian boy in Deir al-Balah, central
Gaza. After losing his father and home, Karim struggled to participate in
activities and remain at a learning center. With psychological support, group
activities, remedial education and eyeglasses to address a vision problem, he
gradually began participating with greater confidence.
Junina said the case illustrates the importance of addressing needs that can
determine whether a child is able to engage with teachers and benefit from
lessons. The UNICEF survey provided further evidence of such challenges, with
parents reporting sleep disturbances, social withdrawal and behavioral changes
among their children, underscoring the need to consider their psychological and
social well-being when schooling resumes. "I don't think we can understand what
a child experiences in the classroom without considering the circumstances of
their life outside it," Junina said. Where a child sleeps, whether they feel
safe, whether they have space to study and whether someone is available to help
with schoolwork all influence their ability to concentrate and continue
learning.Junina also witnessed the effects of instability among his university
students.
Some had their studies repeatedly disrupted by displacement, while others waited
until nighttime to find a quiet environment in which to work. They also
struggled to obtain internet access, charge their phones and access educational
materials. Although these experiences relate to university education, they
illustrate how difficult simply accessing a lesson has become, even before
students can begin following and understanding it. Lessons From Earlier Programs
and the Limits of Comparison. Previous experiences suggest that remedial
education can produce substantial improvements in foundational skills.
Junina cited a UNICEF-documented program from 2021, completed by 5,000 children
in grades one through four in Gaza. Participants' average mathematics test
scores rose from 37% before the program to 95.5% afterward.However, the
differences between conditions during that program and the current situation
mean its results cannot be used to estimate how long educational recovery will
take today.
"We are dealing with an education system that has lost most of its schools and
facilities, in addition to the killing, displacement, bereavement, hunger and
harsh living conditions experienced by teachers, children and their families,"
Junina explained. "We therefore cannot use the 2021 experience to estimate how
long children will need to recover from the effects of the current war." The
program nevertheless demonstrates the potential benefits of remedial
interventions, provided that recovery efforts are designed to continue for
years, with their objectives and outcomes regularly reviewed.Junina warned
against turning the process into a race to complete curricula, administer
examinations and promote students to higher grades. "The goal is for children to
genuinely learn and acquire the skills they need to continue their education
without accumulating further gaps," he said.
Teachers as Partners in Recovery
Such programs require teachers who can continue working despite facing the
effects of war, displacement, loss, financial hardship and psychological
pressure themselves. Junina considers stable incomes and psychological and
professional support for teachers essential to restoring education, enabling
them to work consistently with children and respond to the traumatic experiences
they have endured. According to Junina, the first priority for educational
recovery is "ending the ongoing attacks and killings, ensuring the safety of
children and teachers, and providing safe places they can reach and where they
can learn." He said education should continue in temporary learning spaces while
damaged schools are repaired and children's basic needs are met, allowing them
to attend classes regularly.
Developing and implementing recovery plans also requires meaningful
participation by local education professionals. "Most importantly, Palestinian
teachers and educational institutions must play a central role in developing and
implementing recovery plans, with the participation of students' families,
because they understand children's needs and living conditions better than
anyone," Junina said.
When Lessons Are Consumed by Revision
In classrooms and temporary learning spaces, everyday challenges can prevent
remedial education plans from translating into sustained progress. Raed Abu
Makhda, a specialist in school administration and education in emergencies,
explained to Asharq Al-Awsat how interruptions in attendance prevent teachers
from building on skills children have already learned. "We begin teaching a
skill, then attendance is interrupted, so we have to review it instead of
building on it. A large part of the available time ends up being spent
revisiting material that has already been taught," he said. For this reason,
simply counting missed school days is not enough to measure a child's learning
losses.Even on days when classes take place, lessons may be short or irregular,
while children may arrive exhausted, hungry or frightened, reducing their
ability to benefit from the available instruction time, Abu Makhda explained.
Teachers face additional constraints in temporary learning spaces.
"Noise and the close proximity of different groups can make listening and
concentrating difficult, while limited space restricts activities, group work
and the ability to give each child individual attention," he said. Tents also
provide inadequate protection from changing weather conditions and may lack
desks, blackboards, textbooks, teaching materials and suitable sanitation
facilities. Shortened school days further reduce the time available for
instruction, practice and assessment. Lessons may end before teachers can
establish whether children have understood the material or provide additional
support to those who are struggling. Abu Makhda summarized the limitations of
this approach: "A tent may provide a place for lessons, but it cannot, on its
own, provide the conditions of a school capable of addressing accumulated
learning losses."
Grouping Children by Skill Level
Abu Makhda believes educational recovery should begin with diagnostic
assessments of children's reading, writing and mathematics skills. Children
should then be grouped according to their abilities and provided with regular
remedial instruction, clear learning objectives and continuous monitoring of
their progress. This approach requires training teachers to manage students with
different learning levels, providing appropriate educational materials and
allowing sufficient time for practice and assessment.
A child's age or assigned grade should not be taken as proof that they possess
the corresponding skills without first establishing what they can actually do.
The ability to recover lost learning varies according to age, previous
educational attainment, the length of interrupted schooling, and psychological
and living conditions. Certain skills may improve within months if children can
attend classes consistently, while addressing accumulated learning gaps could
take several years. Abu Makhda stressed that these are conditional educational
estimates, not guaranteed timelines for recovery. Consistent schooling remains
essential to preserving any progress. "Continued interruptions mean that a child
is trying to recover lost learning while simultaneously falling further behind,"
he said.
Who Faces the Greatest Risks?
Learning gaps have different consequences depending on a child's age and
educational stage.
In the early grades, weak foundational skills affect performance across other
subjects. Simply understanding a question can become an obstacle to following a
lesson or completing a test. As Abu Makhda explained: "A child who cannot read
the question will be unable to demonstrate what they know, even if they
understand some of the content." Older students face different risks. According
to Abu Makhda, the need to work, family responsibilities or losing hope of
completing their education may cause them to leave school permanently. Children
with disabilities, as well as those who have experienced injuries, bereavement
or repeated displacement, face additional difficulties because of shortages of
specialized services. For these reasons, Abu Makhda believes remedial education
programs must include efforts to identify and follow up with children who have
stopped attending school or are at risk of dropping out. Success should be
measured by what children have actually learned to read, write and understand,
alongside their attendance and continued participation, rather than relying
solely on enrollment figures or the number of lessons delivered."Recovering lost
learning requires time, stability and resources," Abu Makhda said. "Talking
about educational recovery without providing these conditions places
responsibility on children and teachers for circumstances they have no power to
change."
Palestinian President Says Hopes for Peace Talks with New Israeli Government
Baghdad: Hamza Mustafa/Asharq Al-Awsat/October 29/2026
Iraq's judiciary announced Thursday that two senior Sunni politicians had been
sentenced to prison for profiting from contracts involving oil refinery
companies, as part of a government anti-corruption campaign launched in June.
Muthanna al-Samarrai, leader of Iraq's second-largest Sunni political alliance,
was sentenced to six years in prison, while lawmaker Ziad al-Janabi, former
chairman of parliament's Integrity Committee, received a five-year sentence. The
Federal Commission of Integrity said in a statement that the two were convicted
of benefiting from contracts involving the North and South Refineries companies.
The court also ordered Samarrai to repay 30 billion Iraqi dinars, which the
commission said he had obtained by acting as an intermediary in the contracts.
Janabi was ordered to return 4 billion dinars that he had gained from the same
deals, according to the statement.
Samarrai was arrested on June 28, 2026, in a sweeping crackdown on current and
former lawmakers and officials accused of corruption. Local media dubbed the
operation "Dawn Assault."Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi launched the campaign after
taking office in May, pledging to pursue those implicated in corruption. But the
crackdown later lost momentum amid political pressure, according to local media
reports. The refinery case centers partly on Adnan al-Jumaili, a former Oil
Ministry official, and allegations of illicit benefits and commissions from
government contracts. Samarrai was prosecuted under Article 319 of Iraq's Penal
Code, which prohibits public employees and those entrusted with public duties
from benefiting, directly or indirectly, from contracts or projects tied to
their official responsibilities. The rulings follow a string of judicial actions
against current and former lawmakers and officials, including Alia Nassif, Talal
al-Zobaie, Mohammed al-Karbouli, Baha al-Nouri, Hassan al-Khafaji, Bushra al-Qaisi
and Hind al-Abbasi, as well as Oil Ministry officials. Several wanted officials
remain at large, according to available information. Among them is former Labor
and Social Affairs Minister Ahmed al-Asadi, who previously led an armed faction
within the Popular Mobilization Forces.
Crackdown falls short, former anti-graft chief says
Mousa Faraj, a former head of Iraq's Federal Commission of Integrity, said al-Zaidi's
campaign marked progress from earlier periods when government decisions helped
shield corrupt officials or obstruct oversight bodies and the judiciary. The
campaign had delivered results in the refinery corruption case, drawing on
testimony provided by Jumaili to judicial authorities, and had made headway in
illicit enrichment investigations, Faraj said. But he warned that the crackdown
remained too narrow, leaving major corruption cases involving currency
transactions, real estate, oil smuggling and ghost employees largely outside its
reach. Faraj told Asharq Al-Awsat that the campaign had also failed to hold
political blocs accountable for officials accused of corruption, despite their
influence and the benefits they derived from some of those implicated. He said
the campaign's effectiveness would hinge on widening investigations, tackling
major corruption cases and preventing political blocs from simply replacing
convicted members with other candidates from their ranks.
Political power-sharing drives up investment costs
Corruption continues to weigh on Iraq's economy, driving up business costs,
obstructing development and discouraging domestic investment, said Nabil al-Marsoumi,
an economics professor at the University of Basra. Marsoumi told Asharq Al-Awsat
that the crackdown was a positive step, citing the detention of prominent
figures and the recovery of substantial public funds. But he said it had yet to
reach everyone involved. Lasting progress, he said, would require pursuing
corruption across all levels of government and cutting off its sources,
particularly the system of partisan and political power-sharing.
He also called for stronger, more independent oversight institutions capable of
carrying out their duties.
Prison sentences remain open to appeal
Legal expert Saif al-Saadi said both convictions rested on Article 319 of Iraq's
Penal Code, which penalizes public employees and those entrusted with public
duties who profit, directly or through intermediaries, from contracts or
projects they help prepare, award, execute or oversee, or receive commissions
linked to them. The orders to repay the money were based on the amended Federal
Commission of Integrity and Illicit Gains Law No. 30 of 2011, particularly
Article 19, Saadi told Asharq Al-Awsat. He said criminal court verdicts could be
challenged before the Federal Court of Cassation within 30 days of the ruling.
If upheld, the sentences would become final, allowing the remaining legal
procedures to proceed. Any vacancies left by Samarrai and Janabi in parliament
would be governed by Iraq's Law on the Replacement of Members of Parliament once
the verdicts became final and the necessary legal requirements were met, Saadi
said.
Qatar Denies Interference in Israeli Elections
Doha: Asharq Al Awsat/29 October/2026
Qatar has categorically denied allegations that it interfered in Israel's
elections or financed activities aimed at influencing their outcome, rejecting
accusations promoted by some Israeli politicians and affiliated media outlets as
part of a new disinformation campaign seeking to drag Doha into Israel's
domestic political disputes following this week's elections. Qatari Foreign
Ministry spokesperson Majed Al-Ansari highlighted the contradictory nature of
the allegations, which range from claims that Qatar bought Benjamin Netanyahu's
loyalty to accusations that it financed the Israeli left and influenced Arab
voters, as though Doha, according to these claims, controlled the entire Israeli
political landscape. Al-Ansari stressed that the baseless accusations were both
absurd and dangerous, saying the persistent attempts to inject Qatar's name into
Israel's election discourse reflected an "excessive obsession" that defied logic
in certain Israeli political and media circles. He emphasized that Qatar refused
to be made "a scapegoat for the political failures of certain Israeli
politicians," adding that rather than trying to divert attention toward Doha,
those politicians would be better served by responding to their voters'
aspirations and addressing the consequences of their disastrous policies in the
region. The spokesperson reiterated that Qatar has no interest in Israel's
political and electoral competition, describing it as an internal matter in
which Doha does not interfere and refusing to allow the country to be drawn into
its disputes. He also stressed that any government emerging from the elections
must comply with international law and relevant international resolutions,
engage seriously and sincerely with the Palestinian issue, and respect the
inalienable rights of the Palestinian people, foremost among them their right to
self-determination and the establishment of an independent state along the 1967
borders, with East Jerusalem as its capital. Al-Ansari added that such campaigns
would not deter Qatar from continuing its mediation role, diplomatic and
humanitarian efforts, support for the Palestinian people, and commitment to
achieving a just and comprehensive peace that strengthens regional security and
stability. He affirmed that Doha would continue working closely with its
regional and international partners to resolve conflicts through diplomatic
means, stressing that remaining silent would not be Qatar's response to attempts
to exploit its name for electoral agendas or narrow political gains.
Saudi air defenses intercept two Houthi ballistic missiles
targeting Riyadh
Al Arabiya English/29 October/2026
Saudi air defenses intercepted and destroyed two ballistic missiles launched by
Yemen’s Iran-backed Houthi militia toward the capital Riyadh, the Saudi-led
coalition said on Thursday. “Air defenses intercepted and destroyed two
ballistic missiles launched by the terrorist Houthi militia toward Riyadh,”
coalition spokesperson Major General Turki al-Malki said in a post on X. The
latest incident comes amid repeated Houthi missile and drone attacks targeting
Saudi Arabia, including the capital and other major cities. On Tuesday, Saudi
Civil Defense reported that debris from two intercepted Houthi ballistic
missiles fell in Riyadh, damaging a building, a construction site and a vehicle.
Saudi Arabia has repeatedly condemned the attacks as violations of its
sovereignty and reaffirmed its right to defend its territory, citizens and
residents.
Houthis suspected of using chemical weapons in Taiz, local authorities seek UN
probe
Siraj Wahab/Arab News/October 29, 2026
JEDDAH: Local authorities in Yemen’s Taiz have called for an urgent, UN-backed
investigation into reports that Houthi forces fired artillery shells and rockets
suspected of containing internationally banned chemical substances, amid
escalating fighting that has worsened the humanitarian crisis in the besieged
city.In a statement issued by the Taiz Governorate Media Office, the authorities
said they had received consistent reports from several front lines, most
recently in Al-Aqroud and Kahlan, alleging that Houthi forces had used munitions
that contained potentially prohibited gases and other toxic materials.
The allegations followed incidents in which civilians and members of the Popular
Resistance reportedly suffered severe breathing difficulties and lost
consciousness after areas were shelled. The authorities called for an immediate
technical investigation to identify the substances involved and establish
whether they were responsible for the reported symptoms. They urged government
agencies to dispatch specialists to inspect the affected areas, gather evidence,
and examine medical records and witness testimonies. The statement also called
on the UN and other international organizations to support an independent
investigation and help hold those responsible accountable, if the use of
prohibited substances was confirmed. Mostafa Noman, Yemen’s deputy foreign
minister, accused the Iran-backed Houthis of using “all kind of illegal weapons
to accelerate their push towards the battered city of Taiz.”
He said local authorities and the Yemeni government were demanding an end to the
siege and the deployment of an independent, international investigation team to
examine the allegations and report on the suspected use of poisonous substances.
“I would not rule out the use of such weapons,” he said, describing the alleged
acts as “a clear sign of their desperation to force the city to
surrender.”Yemen’s information minister, Moammar Al-Eryani, separately described
the allegations as a dangerous development, and called on the UN and the
Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons to investigate. The nature
of the substances involved remains unknown. Fighting between the Houthis and
forces loyal to Yemen’s internationally recognized government has intensified in
Taiz, where the militia has tightened its siege of the city and disrupted vital
supply routes. The UN warned last week that more than 800,000 people in Taiz had
been cut off from food assistance after fighting blocked major roads into the
city. The restrictions have severely disrupted deliveries of food, fuel and
medical supplies, leaving hospitals struggling to operate and residents facing
worsening shortages of drinking water, according to the UN. The renewed fighting
has also forced thousands of Yemenis to flee their homes, placing further
pressure on communities already struggling with years of conflict. Authorities
in Taiz held the Houthis responsible for attacks that are threatening civilians
and warned against any further escalation or the use of weapons prohibited under
international law. They also reaffirmed their commitment to protecting civilians
and called for measures to prevent further attacks on residential areas and
civilian infrastructure.
1,400 Killed in Two Months as Yemen’s Dhamar Pays the Price
of Houthi Attrition
Asharq Al Awsat/29 October/2026
Yemen's Houthis have lost more than 1,400 fighters from Dhamar province in just
two months, local sources said, exposing a mounting human toll as the group
steps up recruitment and turns photographs of its dead into tools for mobilizing
fresh fighters. The Iran-aligned group has staged exhibitions of fallen fighters
across Dhamar, about 100 km south of Sanaa, and its 12 districts, seeking to
turn mounting battlefield losses into recruitment opportunities and replenish
its depleted ranks. Informed local sources told Asharq Al-Awsat that the
fighters were killed on several fronts, particularly in Taiz, Dhalea, Jawf, the
western coast and Marib. The sources said the exhibitions and funeral
processions sweeping the province offered a stark picture of the group's losses,
even as it continued sending more local men to the front lines to replace those
killed. In recent days, the Houthis have intensified exhibitions displaying
photographs of their dead across Dhamar as part of an annual week commemorating
fallen fighters. The group has used the events to reinforce its recruitment
rhetoric and normalize death on the battlefield, rather than confront the heavy
human cost of its military campaigns and the suffering they have inflicted on
Yemeni families, the sources said.
Streets turned into memorials
In Dhamar city, the Houthis have transformed neighborhoods, main streets,
schools, mosques and government buildings into open-air galleries displaying
photographs of hundreds of dead fighters, including children and minors,
according to local sources. The exhibitions have spread to Wisab al-Ali, Anis,
Duran Anis, Wisab al-Safil, Maghrib Anis, Jabal al-Sharq, Jahran, Mayfa'at Anis,
Al-Hada, Al-Manar and Utmah, where tents and displays bearing photographs of the
dead have become part of the group's broader mobilization campaign. The scale of
the displays underscores the extent of the losses and the group's efforts to
channel them into its military and recruitment agenda, the sources said. The
photographs extend beyond frontline fighters to people involved in general
mobilization, recruitment and security operations, as well as government
employees, education workers and students whom the Houthis had sent into battle.
But the campaign has struggled to attract public support. Local sources said the
Houthis had pressured residents in several parts of Dhamar to organize group
visits to the exhibitions, only to face what they described as "lackluster"
attendance despite attempts to compel participation.
Funeral processions and fresh recruits
Alongside the exhibitions, the Houthis have continued staging funeral
processions, filling streets, neighborhoods and alleyways across Dhamar with
photographs of their dead and sectarian slogans. The campaign seeks to project
an image of widespread public mobilization, even as residents face pressure to
participate while grappling with severe economic hardship. Activists from Dhamar
said the surge in memorial exhibitions laid bare the scale of the group's human
losses. Rather than acknowledge the toll on families and communities, they said,
the Houthis were exploiting their annual commemorations to renew recruitment
efforts, particularly among minors and public employees under their authority.
The activists warned that turning the dead into recruitment symbols risked
fueling further losses, as more young men were sent to the front lines to fill
the gaps left by fallen fighters. Such efforts, they said, threatened to deepen
families' suffering and keep the province trapped in a relentless cycle of
battlefield deaths. Meanwhile, as millions in Houthi-controlled areas struggle
with worsening living and humanitarian conditions, informed Yemeni sources
estimated that the group had spent billions of Yemeni rials on printing
photographs, mounting exhibitions and organizing related events across its
territory. The dollar trades at 535 Yemeni rials, according to the exchange rate
cited in the original report. The spending comes as families struggle to afford
basic necessities amid deepening poverty and declining purchasing power. The
expenditures highlight the group's priorities: pouring substantial resources
into propaganda and recruitment campaigns while living standards deteriorate and
residents struggle to meet their most basic needs.
Nearly 10,000 Casualties in Yemen Escalation as Taiz Health
System Struggles to Survive
Aden: Waddah Aljaleel/Asharq Al Awsat/29 October/2026
Nearly 10,000 people have been killed or wounded in Yemen's latest military
escalation, pushing the country's battered health system to the brink of
collapse as a Houthi siege tightens around its third-largest city. The crisis,
the worst in years, has pushed Yemen's healthcare system into what international
agencies now classify as a complex emergency that can no longer be contained.
Yemen's Health Ministry warned of an imminent collapse in healthcare services in
Taiz province, where stocks of medicines, medical supplies and oxygen have
reached critical lows after nearly three months of escalating Houthi military
operations and attacks on civilians and infrastructure, compounded by an
unprecedented plunge in international funding. The southwestern city of Taiz
remains under Houthi siege as fighting intensifies across the city and
surrounding districts. Continued shelling has forced more than 250,000 people to
flee rural areas of Taiz and neighboring Lahj province. The latest verified
field data from the World Health Organization (WHO) put the toll from the recent
escalation at 9,072 casualties, recorded through the country's remaining health
surveillance systems. The toll includes 1,677 deaths directly linked to
hostilities and 7,395 wounded, overwhelming trauma and emergency centers and
stretching the surgical capacity of an already crippled health system beyond its
limits. Health authorities in Taiz accused Houthi forces of targeting an
ambulance on Wednesday as it attempted to evacuate a wounded civilian from a
village under heavy shelling in the Al-Awat area of Sabir Al-Mawadim district,
south of the city. It was the second reported attack on an ambulance during the
current escalation. A strike the previous week killed an ambulance driver and a
wounded girl being transported for treatment after an earlier shelling attack,
and injured a nurse accompanying them. Press authorities in the province also
accused the Houthis of looting 15 ambulances from health offices and medical
centers in rural districts.
A final plea for help
In besieged Taiz, the health crisis is nearing breaking point. According to
Yemen's Health Ministry, 42 healthcare facilities across the province could shut
down completely within days as supplies of medicines, lifesaving medical
equipment and medical oxygen cylinders run out. The looming closures threaten
services with no ready alternatives, including neonatal incubators, intensive
care units and regular dialysis sessions for hundreds of patients. The crisis
has deepened as healthcare facilities continue to come under direct attack. In
the latest incident, Houthi gunmen opened fire on Al-Thawra General Hospital,
wounding patients and medical staff. Public health officials are also warning of
a cholera outbreak spiraling out of control, with infection rates tripling in
just weeks as destroyed water and sewage networks and deteriorating sanitation
services fuel the spread of the disease. The outbreak is colliding with a severe
malnutrition crisis. Thousands of displaced children lack the basic immunity
needed to fight bacteria transmitted through contaminated water, pushing death
rates among children under five to record highs.
Funding dries up as needs surge
As humanitarian needs soar, international and local relief operations are
running into what aid officials describe as a crippling funding drought. Earlier
this month, the WHO issued an urgent appeal for $31 million to keep essential
healthcare operations running across Yemen. Donors have provided just $2.1
million, leaving a staggering 93% funding gap. The consequences have been swift.
Fifteen vital healthcare facilities have closed permanently, while dozens of
mobile medical teams have been disbanded, cutting off what had been the only
lifeline for remote communities and displacement camps in conflict-hit provinces
such as Marib. International and local humanitarian groups agree that time has
effectively run out. Without immediate international pressure to halt
hostilities, open safe humanitarian corridors to restore the flow of supplies
into besieged Taiz and release emergency funding, Yemen faces the prospect of
the worst healthcare collapse in its modern history.
Intensive Strikes Target Houthis Amid Suspicions of Toxic Shells Used by
Militias
Aden: Asharq Al Awsat/29 October/2026
Fighting has intensified across Yemen, with battles spreading to several
provinces as Operation "Dawn of Yemen" entered its 25th day and Houthi attacks
on civilian areas and infrastructure continued in Yemen and Saudi Arabia. The
Saudi-led coalition said Saudi air defenses intercepted and destroyed a Houthi
ballistic missile fired toward the kingdom's Eastern Province early on Thursday.
Yemen's armed forces said on Thursday evening they had carried out 982 strikes
on Houthi positions and fortifications in 24 hours, killing or incapacitating
324 commanders and fighters and destroying 108 military vehicles.
The strikes came as Operation "Dawn of Yemen," launched by Presidential
Leadership Council Chairman Rashad al-Alimi to reclaim Houthi-held territory and
restore state authority, entered its 25th day. Authorities in Taiz called for an
urgent investigation into reports that Houthi forces had fired shells suspected
of containing internationally banned toxic substances. They said earlier
incidents had left civilians and soldiers suffering breathing difficulties, with
some losing consciousness, and called for specialized testing to establish
whether the symptoms were linked to substances released by the shells.
The authorities urged investigators to document witness accounts, medical
records and reported cases, and identify any substances used. They also called
on the United Nations and international organizations to support the inquiry and
hold those responsible accountable if the allegations were confirmed.
Health officials in Taiz said Houthi shelling struck an ambulance on Wednesday
as it tried to evacuate an injured civilian from a village in the al-Awat area,
west of al-Shaqab in the Sabr al-Mawadim district, south of Taiz city. The
ambulance was badly damaged and put out of service.
The strike came amid heavy shelling of villages around Jabal Sabr, the officials
said. They also reported that another ambulance had been hit by a shell the
previous week and that Houthis had looted 15 ambulances from health offices and
medical centers across several districts.
Aden airport reopens after missile strikes
Fighting spread from the outskirts of Taiz to fronts in Lahj province, Dhubab
and the Bab al-Mandab Strait, as coalition warplanes stepped up strikes along
Yemen's western coast and Houthi missiles again targeted Aden International
Airport. Aden airport resumed operations on Thursday after engineers repaired
runway damage caused by Houthi ballistic missile strikes the previous day.
Aviation sources said technical teams had worked intensively to restore the
runway and allow flights to resume. The Houthis fired two ballistic missiles at
the airport on Wednesday, one at 1 p.m. local time and another at 3 p.m. This
frame grab taken from AFPTV video footage on October 28, 2026 shows smoke rising
after a missile targeted Yemen's Aden airport for the second time. The group,
which had demanded the airport be evacuated before the strikes, claimed it was
targeting a military cargo aircraft. Airport security sources, however, reported
no casualties or material damage.The attacks drew widespread condemnation over
the targeting of a civilian airport. Critics said the Houthis' warnings to
civilians on social media shortly before the strikes did not absolve the group
of criminal responsibility and amounted to psychological pressure and
intimidation against civilians and travelers. Yemen's Transport Ministry
condemned the attacks, saying the latest two strikes brought the number
targeting the airport to six in recent days. It warned that the shelling
endangered passengers, aircrews and airport workers, threatened air traffic and
posed serious risks to humanitarian and relief operations. The ministry held the
Houthis fully responsible and urged the international community and the
International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) to act urgently to protect
civilian facilities and ensure aviation safety. Yemenia Airways said it had
diverted flights bound for Aden to Djibouti airport following the shelling.The
airline said the disruption was beyond its control and that the diversions were
necessary to protect passengers, crews and aircraft and comply with aviation
safety requirements.
Fighting spreads along western front
Ground fighting widened to the Bab al-Mandab Strait and Dhubab district, where
military sources said government forces had repelled Houthi infiltration
attempts. The Houthis said they had attacked government positions in the two
areas with ballistic missiles and heavy weapons. In northwestern Lahj province,
the Southern Giants Brigades struck Houthi concentrations along the al-Mudaraba
and al-Subaiha front, inflicting casualties as clashes involving various weapons
erupted. Coalition warplanes backed the ground operations with a series of
strikes along the western coast, including four targeting Houthi positions and
movements near the port city of Mokha. Other airstrikes hit Houthi
fortifications in Jabal al-Nar, east of Mokha. Government forces also repelled
an attack on Kahlan and Hamma villages in the al-Misrakh district, west of Taiz,
while military units continued clearing recently recaptured positions along the
al-Dhabab front, around Jabal Han and near the old airport. Artillery exchanges
continued along the al-Shaqab, al-Aqrud and Sameh fronts in eastern and southern
Taiz province.
550 Private Schools in Sanaa Come Under Houthi Recruitment
Pressure
Sanaa: Asharq Al Awsat/29 October/2026
The Houthi militias have escalated their campaigns to recruit students from
private schools in Sanaa, exploiting educational institutions to supply its
battlefronts with new fighters and offset its ongoing human losses.The group is
reportedly forcing students to attend military training courses while
threatening school administrations with closure, fines, and other penalties.
Educational sources in Sanaa told Asharq Al-Awsat that the group's so-called
"Jihadist Department," in coordination with the Ministry of Education in its
unrecognized government, recently launched a campaign targeting more than 550
private schools in Sanaa and its outskirts. The move marks a new escalation in
the group's use of the education sector to advance its military and ideological
agenda. According to the sources, Houthi supervisors have, in recent days,
conducted field visits to schools in ten districts across Sanaa, ordering each
school administration to select five students to enroll in military training
courses. They warned that institutions refusing to comply could face closure,
punitive measures, and financial penalties. The campaign has sparked widespread
anger and concern among teachers, students, and parents, who view it as part of
the group's long-standing effort to undermine the educational process. For
years, they say, the Houthis have subjected curricula and school activities to
ideological indoctrination and turned educational institutions into tools
serving their military project.
Forced Military Courses
Parents who spoke to Asharq Al-Awsat said their children were taken from
classrooms without their families' knowledge and transported to undisclosed
locations, where they were subjected to ideological indoctrination and military
training. This has heightened fears that the activities are a prelude to
recruiting students and sending them to the front lines. As a result, some
families have stopped sending their children to the targeted schools for fear of
forced recruitment. Several private schools have reported declining attendance,
amid growing concerns over continued Houthi pressure and raids on educational
institutions, which many believe are being transformed into recruitment channels
rather than centers for learning. Abdullah, the father of four students from the
Maeen district in central Sanaa, said he had been forced to keep two of his
children, who are in middle and high school, at home out of fear they would be
recruited. He said he no longer trusts the school administration's ability to
protect them from Houthi pressure, leaving him with the painful choice of either
depriving them of an education or risking their military indoctrination. He
added that most families now fear sending their children to school because
educational institutions have, in his words, become recruitment gateways where
students are subjected to military indoctrination. "We sent our children to
school to learn and build their future, not to be pushed into military courses
and battlefronts," he said. He noted that the group's actions now go beyond
imposing its views on curricula and school activities, extending to pressuring
school administrations to hand over students to organizers of combat training
programs. Houthi militias have coerced schools in Sanaa into sectarian programs
and mobilization for combat (X)
Pressure on Schools
A teacher at a private school in the Al-Sabeen district south of Sanaa, speaking
on condition of anonymity, said private school administrations across Sanaa and
its suburbs are facing mounting pressure from the group's cultural supervisors
to implement directives aimed at recruiting students and sending them to
military training courses at the expense of their education. The teacher
stressed that schools, which should provide a safe environment for learning and
future-building, are facing growing interference in their internal affairs as
pressure increases to pull students out of classrooms and involve them in
activities unrelated to education. These developments come as the education
system in Houthi-controlled areas continues to deteriorate. Tens of thousands of
teachers and education workers have gone unpaid for years, while policies
pursued by the group have worsened living conditions and weakened schools'
ability to fulfil their educational mission.
Iraqi Politicians Sentenced to Prison in Oil Corruption Case
Baghdad: Hamza Mustafa/Asharq Al-Awsat/October 29/2026
Iraq's judiciary announced Thursday that two senior Sunni politicians had been
sentenced to prison for profiting from contracts involving oil refinery
companies, as part of a government anti-corruption campaign launched in June.
Muthanna al-Samarrai, leader of Iraq's second-largest Sunni political alliance,
was sentenced to six years in prison, while lawmaker Ziad al-Janabi, former
chairman of parliament's Integrity Committee, received a five-year sentence. The
Federal Commission of Integrity said in a statement that the two were convicted
of benefiting from contracts involving the North and South Refineries companies.
The court also ordered Samarrai to repay 30 billion Iraqi dinars, which the
commission said he had obtained by acting as an intermediary in the contracts.
Janabi was ordered to return 4 billion dinars that he had gained from the same
deals, according to the statement. Samarrai was arrested on June 28, 2026, in a
sweeping crackdown on current and former lawmakers and officials accused of
corruption. Local media dubbed the operation "Dawn Assault." Prime Minister Ali
al-Zaidi launched the campaign after taking office in May, pledging to pursue
those implicated in corruption. But the crackdown later lost momentum amid
political pressure, according to local media reports. The refinery case centers
partly on Adnan al-Jumaili, a former Oil Ministry official, and allegations of
illicit benefits and commissions from government contracts. Samarrai was
prosecuted under Article 319 of Iraq's Penal Code, which prohibits public
employees and those entrusted with public duties from benefiting, directly or
indirectly, from contracts or projects tied to their official responsibilities.
The rulings follow a string of judicial actions against current and former
lawmakers and officials, including Alia Nassif, Talal al-Zobaie, Mohammed al-Karbouli,
Baha al-Nouri, Hassan al-Khafaji, Bushra al-Qaisi and Hind al-Abbasi, as well as
Oil Ministry officials. Several wanted officials remain at large, according to
available information. Among them is former Labor and Social Affairs Minister
Ahmed al-Asadi, who previously led an armed faction within the Popular
Mobilization Forces.
Crackdown falls short, former anti-graft chief says
Mousa Faraj, a former head of Iraq's Federal Commission of Integrity, said al-Zaidi's
campaign marked progress from earlier periods when government decisions helped
shield corrupt officials or obstruct oversight bodies and the judiciary. The
campaign had delivered results in the refinery corruption case, drawing on
testimony provided by Jumaili to judicial authorities, and had made headway in
illicit enrichment investigations, Faraj said. But he warned that the crackdown
remained too narrow, leaving major corruption cases involving currency
transactions, real estate, oil smuggling and ghost employees largely outside its
reach. Faraj told Asharq Al-Awsat that the campaign had also failed to hold
political blocs accountable for officials accused of corruption, despite their
influence and the benefits they derived from some of those implicated. He said
the campaign's effectiveness would hinge on widening investigations, tackling
major corruption cases and preventing political blocs from simply replacing
convicted members with other candidates from their ranks. Political
power-sharing drives up investment costs
Corruption continues to weigh on Iraq's economy, driving up business costs,
obstructing development and discouraging domestic investment, said Nabil al-Marsoumi,
an economics professor at the University of Basra. Marsoumi told Asharq Al-Awsat
that the crackdown was a positive step, citing the detention of prominent
figures and the recovery of substantial public funds. But he said it had yet to
reach everyone involved. Lasting progress, he said, would require pursuing
corruption across all levels of government and cutting off its sources,
particularly the system of partisan and political power-sharing.
He also called for stronger, more independent oversight institutions capable of
carrying out their duties.
Prison sentences remain open to appeal
Legal expert Saif al-Saadi said both convictions rested on Article 319 of Iraq's
Penal Code, which penalizes public employees and those entrusted with public
duties who profit, directly or through intermediaries, from contracts or
projects they help prepare, award, execute or oversee, or receive commissions
linked to them. The orders to repay the money were based on the amended Federal
Commission of Integrity and Illicit Gains Law No. 30 of 2011, particularly
Article 19, Saadi told Asharq Al-Awsat. He said criminal court verdicts could be
challenged before the Federal Court of Cassation within 30 days of the ruling.
If upheld, the sentences would become final, allowing the remaining legal
procedures to proceed. Any vacancies left by Samarrai and Janabi in parliament
would be governed by Iraq's Law on the Replacement of Members of Parliament once
the verdicts became final and the necessary legal requirements were met, Saadi
said.
Türkiye Renews Offer to Sign Maritime Boundaries Agreement with Egypt
Ankara: Saeed Abdulrazek/Asharq Al-Awsat/October 29/2026
Türkiye has once again expressed willingness to sign a maritime boundary
delimitation agreement with Egypt that would "serve the common interests of both
countries," despite Cairo's firm rejection of the Turkish-Libyan memorandum of
understanding on maritime jurisdiction zones signed in late 2019 and ratified by
Libya's House of Representatives last week. A Turkish Defense Ministry official
said that the Libyan parliament's approval of the memorandum signed between
Türkiye and Libya on October 20 represented “an important development supporting
our approach based on international law, the principles of equity, and respect
for the legitimate rights and interests of the coastal states concerned."
Responding to a question during the ministry's weekly press briefing regarding
objections to the memorandum, the official reiterated Türkiye's readiness to
conclude a maritime delimitation agreement with Egypt "in line with mutual
interests."He added that, according to Turkish estimates, if Egypt were to sign
such an agreement with Türkiye, it would gain an additional maritime area of
more than 15,000 square kilometers compared with a potential agreement with
Greece. He stressed that Türkiye would continue to protect its legitimate rights
and interests in the Eastern Mediterranean within the framework of international
law while contributing to regional peace, security, and stability.
Turkish Effort to Preserve Relations
The official's remarks echoed comments previously made by Turkish Defense
Minister Yasar Guler, who said that an agreement with Egypt would grant Cairo an
additional 15,000 square kilometers of maritime jurisdiction in the Eastern
Mediterranean. During a Euro-Middle East meeting held in Istanbul last Friday
and attended by the foreign ministers of Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Türkiye, Pakistan,
Germany, Britain, and France, as well as Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani,
Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty reaffirmed Cairo's categorical
rejection of Libya's parliamentary ratification of the Turkish-Libyan
memorandum. Abdelatty stated that the ratification would have "no legal effect"
on Egypt. Türkiye refrained from publicly criticizing Egypt's position, whether
through official channels or media outlets, including those critical of the
government. Türkiye has sought to continue improving relations with Egypt and
avoid another diplomatic dispute. This approach was reflected in remarks by
President Recep Tayyip Erdogan following a cabinet meeting on Monday, when he
stressed that Ankara does not seek to harm any party in the Eastern
Mediterranean, advocates dialogue with all countries in the region, and intends
to maintain relations with all influential actors in Libya.
Overtures to Greece
Following Libya's ratification of the Turkish-Libyan memorandum, Greece sent a
letter to UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres reiterating its objections.
Athens argued that the ratification does not alter the memorandum's legal
status, cannot create new legal obligations for third countries, conflicts with
the 1982 UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (which Ankara has not signed), and
lacks a valid legal foundation because of the geographical configuration of the
coastlines between Türkiye and Libya. Meanwhile, Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan
Fidan revealed in Brussels last week that Erdogan had made an energy-related
proposal to Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis during the UN General
Assembly meetings in September. Erdogan reportedly suggested that Greece
purchase electricity from Türkiye rather than spend more than €2 billion in
European funds to transport electricity over a distance of 2,000 kilometers to
Cyprus. The proposal referred to the "Great Sea Interconnector" project, which
aims to link Greece, Cyprus, and Israel through an undersea electricity cable in
the Eastern Mediterranean, a project Türkiye insists requires its approval.
According to Fidan, Erdogan told Mitsotakis: "It would be better to buy
electricity from Türkiye, which is only 70 miles away from you. We can also
supply you with water, electricity, and natural gas."
A New Eastern Mediterranean Equation
For Italy, the ratification of the Turkish-Libyan memorandum has raised
political and economic concerns, particularly regarding Türkiye's expanding
influence in Libya and its implications for Italian interests in the Eastern
Mediterranean. Some political circles in Rome have questioned whether Italy
moved too quickly in supporting US-backed efforts to unify Libya under a
framework that could place Saddam Haftar at the head of the Presidential
Council. They argue that such a course could strengthen ties between eastern
Libya and Türkiye, a direct competitor to Italy in Libya, particularly after
Italy's support for Khalifa Haftar helped increase Russia's influence there.
Türkiye has also floated the possibility of negotiations involving Egypt, Italy,
and Libya as part of what observers describe as an effort to establish a new
framework for the Eastern Mediterranean, one that could undermine the model
promoted by Greece, Israel, and Cyprus. Turkish political analyst Ahmet Erdi
Ozturk noted that despite Egypt's continued objections, Cairo's ongoing direct
contacts with both Ankara and Libya suggest that diplomatic options have not yet
been exhausted. He pointed in particular to a phone conversation last Saturday
between Egyptian intelligence chief Major General Hassan Rashad and Libyan Prime
Minister Abdul Hamid Dbeibeh, during which Dbeibeh expressed readiness to
discuss Egypt's concerns regarding maritime jurisdiction. Ozturk also cited
Fidan's proposal for talks involving Türkiye, Egypt, Italy, and Libya as part of
the same diplomatic context. Ozturk adding that it would not be surprising if
Greece and Israel eventually adjusted their positions as circumstances change.
The Latest English LCCC analysis &
editorials from miscellaneous sources published
on October 29-30/2026
Les élections israéliennes et la
géopolitique en tourmente
Dr. Charles Chartouni/Ici Beyrouth/October 29/2029
https://eliasbejjaninews.com/2026/10/158660/
La démocratie israélienne fait ses preuves une nouvelle fois au cœur d’une
région profondément tourmentée où plus rien ne tient. L’attentat terroriste à
l’encontre des chrétiens jordaniens et ses ramifications sécuritaires sur les
frontières syro-jordaniennes, l’instabilité endémique du Liban, l’insécurité
diffuse du pouvoir saoudien, la résurgence des plateformes opérationnelles
iraniennes sur l’ensemble moyen-oriental sont autant d’indicateurs.
Le résultat des élections israéliennes met en relief les fractures d’une scène
politique divisée, tout en soulignant l'unité qui se forme autour des questions
stratégiques liant les Israéliens, au-delà de leurs dissensions politiques et
sociétales. L’imbrication étroite entre les questions stratégiques et sociétales
n’a jamais cessé dans une société où l’identité juive, comme marqueur
ethno-national, n’a jamais pu éteindre les différences qui se sont cristallisées
autour de la nature du projet national israélien. Celles-ci se sont
cristallisées tant dans sa matrice sioniste que dans ses variantes post-sioniste
et anti-sioniste.
La société israélienne n’a cessé d’être confrontée à ces dilemmes identitaires
et politico-stratégiques au détour de chaque guerre et à la veille de chaque
élection, où le nexus entre ses variables refaisait surface. Le pogrom du 7
octobre 2023 a redonné à cette problématique toute son acuité et mis le doigt
sur les menaces sécuritaires auxquelles fait face l’État israélien. La dimension
sécuritaire, politico-stratégique et identitaire demeure centrale alors que les
prouesses militaires, technologiques et économiques n’ont jamais défailli en
fournissant à l’État des assises incomparables.
En se rendant aux urnes, les Israéliens ont voté sur des enjeux sécuritaires.
Cela a conduit au pogrom symptomatique du 7 octobre 2023 et à ses desseins
ouvertement génocidaires. Ces derniers incluent l'ambiguïté malveillante de
l'intermédiation qatarie, l'hubris du pouvoir israélien, les faux calculs
concernant Gaza, ainsi que l'imbroglio sécuritaire qui s'est noué autour de
l'axe de la rive-ouest du Jourdain et de Gaza. Ce n’est pas un hasard si cette
question se maintient à l’ordre du jour et plus que jamais. Ceci nous renvoie à
la question ultime des deux États, ainsi qu'à l’avenir des relations entre
l’État d’Israël, l’autorité palestinienne et le Hamas, et à l’effondrement de
toute perspective de règlement négocié.
Le dilemme concernant l'avenir des relations entre l’État d’Israël, l’autorité
palestinienne et le Hamas, ainsi que l’effondrement de toute perspective de
règlement négocié, se complique. En effet, la question de la reconnaissance de
l’État d’Israël et de l'édification de l'hypothétique État palestinien revient
au point zéro. En d’autres termes, nous revenons à la question fondamentale du
droit d’existence de l’État d’Israël et à la nécessité d'un règlement négocié
avec les Palestiniens. Celui-ci a constamment rencontré des obstacles
idéologiques et des politiques de sabotage, malgré le fait que la résolution 181
des Nations Unies avait ouvert la voie aux accords de Camp David, d’Oslo et à
leurs dérivés.
Le pogrom du 7 octobre 2023 et les dynamiques guerrières qu’il a suscitées
marquent un nouveau départ. Ils réinvitent les deux parties à repenser à frais
nouveaux la question de la coexistence entre les deux peuples, des deux États et
des étapes intermédiaires qu’il faudrait mettre en place. C’est ça l’enjeu des
élections israéliennes et la difficulté de pouvoir les dissocier des questions
géostratégiques en cours. La société israélienne devrait plus que jamais aborder
ces questions avec tout le réalisme que cela suppose, en évitant les biais
idéologiques provenant de toutes parts, tant des Israéliens eux-mêmes que de la
diaspora juive qui se sent ultimement concernée.
Les différences électorales ne peuvent en aucun cas justifier
l’institutionnalisation des désaccords politiques dirimants et qui peuvent
mettre en danger la sécurité nationale et les changements géostratégiques
induits par la contre-offensive israélienne et ses effets de restructuration sur
le plan géopolitique. La pugnacité du vote arabe démontre les limites d’une
coalition avec cette composante qui réaffirme son intransigeance au moment même
où un irrédentisme politico-religieux juif remet en question l’identité de
l’État israélien. Les partis politiques du centre droit sont sommés de retrouver
un accommodement, malgré les controverses politico-légales concernant l’enquête
sur le 7 octobre 2023, le service militaire des haredims, et les rapports entre
les pouvoirs judiciaire et politique.
Les écarts faibles entre les deux blocs électoraux doivent déboucher sur des
consensus à géométrie variable alors que les enjeux stratégiques pèsent plus que
jamais. Les Israéliens doivent réussir une nouvelle fois de plus le pari d’une
démocratie au milieu des tourmentes. Les polarisations doivent se résorber, soit
par la formation d'une coalition regroupant les deux blocs prédominants, soit en
facilitant ainsi la tâche au président Herzog, qui avait déjà opté pour une
coalition entre ces blocs. Autrement, les Israéliens reviendront aux urnes dans
82 jours pour se retrouver avec les mêmes problèmes qu'ils auraient tort
d'esquiver.
Israeli Elections and Geopolitics in Turmoil
Dr. Charles Chartouni/Ici Beyrouth/October 29, 2029
https://eliasbejjaninews.com/2026/10/158660/
(Translated from French by AI)
Israeli democracy is once again proving itself at the heart of a deeply troubled
region where nothing holds firm anymore. The terrorist attack against Jordanian
Christians and its security ramifications on the Syrian-Jordanian borders,
Lebanon’s endemic instability, the diffuse insecurity of Saudi power, and the
resurgence of Iranian operational platforms across the entire Middle East are
all indicators of this.
The outcome of the Israeli elections highlights the fractures of a divided
political scene, while underlining the unity that forms around strategic issues
linking Israelis beyond their political and societal disagreements. The close
interweaving of strategic and societal questions has never ceased in a society
where Jewish identity, as an ethno-national marker, has never been able to
extinguish the differences that crystallized around the nature of the Israeli
national project. These differences crystallized both in its Zionist matrix and
in its post-Zionist and anti-Zionist variants.
Israeli society has continually been confronted with these identity and
politico-strategic dilemmas at the turn of every war and on the eve of every
election, where the nexus between its variables resurfaced. The pogrom of
October 7, 2023, restored this problem to its full acuity and pointed to the
security threats facing the Israeli state. The security, politico-strategic, and
identity dimension remains central, even as military, technological, and
economic achievements have never failed to provide the state with incomparable
foundations.
In going to the polls, Israelis voted on security issues. This led to the
symptomatic pogrom of October 7, 2023, and its openly genocidal designs. These
include the malicious ambiguity of Qatari mediation, the hubris of Israeli
power, the miscalculations regarding Gaza, as well as the security imbroglio
that has formed around the axis of the West Bank of the Jordan and Gaza. It is
no coincidence that this question remains on the agenda more than ever. This
brings us back to the ultimate question of the two states, as well as to the
future of relations between the State of Israel, the Palestinian Authority, and
Hamas, and to the collapse of any prospect of a negotiated settlement.
The dilemma concerning the future of relations between the State of Israel, the
Palestinian Authority, and Hamas, as well as the collapse of any prospect of a
negotiated settlement, is becoming more complicated. Indeed, the question of
recognition of the State of Israel and the establishment of the hypothetical
Palestinian state has returned to square one. In other words, we are back to the
fundamental question of the right of existence of the State of Israel and the
necessity of a negotiated settlement with the Palestinians. The latter has
constantly encountered ideological obstacles and policies of sabotage, despite
the fact that United Nations Resolution 181 had opened the way to the Camp David
Accords, Oslo, and their derivatives.
The pogrom of October 7, 2023, and the war dynamics it sparked mark a new
beginning. They invite both sides to rethink afresh the question of coexistence
between the two peoples, the two states, and the intermediate stages that would
need to be put in place. That is the stake of the Israeli elections and the
difficulty of dissociating them from the ongoing geostrategic questions. Israeli
society should more than ever approach these questions with all the realism that
this requires, avoiding ideological biases coming from all sides—both from the
Israelis themselves and from the Jewish diaspora that ultimately feels
concerned.
Electoral differences can in no way justify the institutionalization of decisive
political disagreements that could endanger national security and the
geostrategic changes induced by the Israeli counter-offensive and its
restructuring effects on the geopolitical level. The pugnacity of the Arab vote
demonstrates the limits of a coalition with this component, which reaffirms its
intransigence at the very moment when a Jewish politico-religious irredentism is
calling into question the identity of the Israeli state. The center-right
political parties are being summoned to find an accommodation, despite the
politico-legal controversies concerning the investigation into October 7, 2023,
the military service of the Haredim, and the relations between the judicial and
political powers.
The narrow gaps between the two electoral blocs must lead to variable-geometry
consensus, while strategic stakes weigh more than ever. Israelis must once again
succeed in the wager of democracy amid the turmoil. Polarizations must be
absorbed, either through the formation of a coalition bringing together the two
predominant blocs, or by thereby facilitating the task of President Herzog, who
had already opted for a coalition between these blocs. Otherwise, Israelis will
return to the polls in 82 days to find themselves with the same problems that
they would be wrong to evade.
For the Spirit of the Gulf
Mishary Dhayidi/Asharq Al-Awsat/October 30/2026
Why was the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) established?
Its fundamental purpose was to strengthen ties among the Gulf states, maximize
their shared interests, and safeguard the security, prosperity, and future of
their peoples. I do not need to revisit the founding charter or official
documents. They are readily available on the GCC Secretariat's official
platforms and have been reaffirmed throughout the council's sessions since its
inception on May 25, 1981, during the first summit held in Abu Dhabi. Yes, the
Gulf states have weathered fierce storms, but the Gulf ship has continued
sailing safely, much like the vessels of generations past that navigated the
coastlines stretching from Kuwait to Uqair, Jubail, Dammam, Qatif, Bahrain,
Qatar, Abu Dhabi, Dubai, Ras Al Khaimah, Musandam, and Sohar. Today, however,
there is a danger posed by media provocation and the invention of pointless,
destructive disputes, while the Gulf ship seeks to navigate through the
turbulent waves generated by Iran, the United States, and Israel. What kind of
mindset insists on keeping the flames of discord alive, reigniting them whenever
they begin to die down? Who are these people who continually stoke the fires of
division among Gulf societies?
Their existence is not hypothetical. Unfortunately, they are a daily reality,
visible across social media platforms and even in traditional media outlets. For
this reason, the information ministers of the GCC states met on Wednesday in
Manama, the capital of Bahrain, and issued a statement firmly rejecting anything
that undermines Gulf unity or insults the GCC states, their leaders, or their
peoples. The statement stressed that holding violators accountable is the
responsibility of the competent authorities in each member state, through the
implementation of national laws and approved GCC decisions, in accordance with
the procedures of each country. The ministers emphasized that solidarity and
cohesion among GCC countries, their leaders, and their peoples constitute a
cornerstone of protecting security and stability and preserving the Gulf's
achievements.
What matters now is translating these words into sustained action on the ground.
As the wise Umayyad-era poet Nasr ibn Sayyar famously said:
"A fire is kindled by but two sticks,
And every war begins... with words."
Differences of opinion and diversity of interpretation are natural human traits.
Were it not for differing tastes, goods would never find buyers. People will
always disagree. But that is one thing. Creating strife and deliberately
fostering grudges is quite another.
Moreover, indulging in vulgar rhetoric, insults, and attacks on others,
targeting their identity, families, history, and even their food, clothing,
dialect, or music, is among the most dangerous forms of misconduct. That is the
most heinous forms of wickedness; and all wickedness is vile.
This is not a call to eliminate differences, suppress diversity, or silence
criticism. On the contrary, it is a call to distinguish legitimate disagreement
and constructive critique from harmful rhetoric and malicious conduct. As for
those who engage in such destructive behavior, they are a mixture of the
ignorant at home, malicious actors abroad, and perhaps some of their followers
within our own societies.
Defeater of the Right
Suleiman Jawda/Asharq Al-Awsat/October 30/2026
As I was reading the results of Brazil's presidential election, I was reminded
of something Egypt experienced during the reign of King Farouk, when the Wafd
Party stood at the pinnacle of political life without a serious rival. At that
time, a curious phrase became popular among Egyptians: "If the Wafd nominated a
stone, we would vote for it." The phrase carried a clear meaning. Any candidate
running under the Wafd banner was certain to win, regardless of his personal
abilities or qualifications. It was enough that he had secured the party's
nomination and endorsement. Beyond that, nothing else mattered, to borrow the
title of Ihsan Abdel Quddous's novel, Nothing Matters. In time, Egyptian voters
proved that this was not merely a slogan. The evidence came when Ismail Sidqi
Pasha, the prominent Egyptian statesman, entered a parliamentary race in the
Gharbia governorate north of Cairo. To his surprise, an obscure Wafd-affiliated
effendi, with neither a political reputation nor a notable record, decided to
challenge him. Given Sidqi Pasha's stature in Egyptian politics, he likely
dismissed the candidacy as insignificant. He saw no reason to worry about the
little-known Wafd candidate entering the race against him.
But when the results were announced, it was the Wafd candidate who emerged
victorious. Sidqi Pasha found himself facing an unimaginable upset, one he must
have struggled to comprehend. The amusing part is that the victorious candidate
was not remembered by his actual name in the political history of that era.
Instead, he became famous by a single title: "The Man Who Defeated Sidqi."Egyptians
bestowed this nickname upon him, and it was well deserved. Anyone familiar with
Sidqi Pasha's political weight believed that his participation in an election
all but guaranteed victory. Yet the contest turned out to be different when the
opponent carried the Wafd banner. The significance did not lie simply in the
Wafd candidate's victory, but in the fact that he defeated Sidqi Pasha himself,
despite the latter's prestige, renowned intelligence, and political skill.
By analogy, while acknowledging the differences between the two situations,
anyone following the news of Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva's victory over his rival
Flavio Bolsonaro would conclude that if Lula deserves a title after this
election, it can only be "The Man Who Defeated Bolsonaro." One might even call
him "The Defeater of the Right."
Nearly every factor seemed to favor Bolsonaro and work against Lula. The
rightward political tide sweeping much of Latin America appeared to support
Bolsonaro rather than Lula. Yet, despite the strength of that conservative wave,
it ultimately failed to carry Bolsonaro to the presidential palace.
As he campaigned against Lula, Bolsonaro also benefited from the political
legacy of his father, who had ruled the country for four years. The son may have
believed that his father's current imprisonment would generate sympathy and
translate into votes. Throughout the campaign, he appeared to many observers as
little more than an extension of his father. Meanwhile, US President Donald
Trump openly backed the younger Bolsonaro from the White House, just as he had
once supported Bolsonaro's father. Trump appeared convinced that his bet on the
son was a sound one, only to be surprised by Lula's victory. Brazil, after all,
is not just any country where a leftist victory might have little consequence
for relations with the United States. Nor was that the only advantage Bolsonaro
enjoyed. The global political right, especially in Europe, also appeared to be
on his side. Hardly a day passed without right-wing movements gaining ground
somewhere on the continent. The trend had become so widespread that it resembled
a political contagion spreading from one European country to another. So strong
was Bolsonaro's faith in these favorable conditions that he quickly rejected the
election results, announcing that he neither accepted nor recognized them. Yet
he soon realized that the advance of the right around him, both in his region
and globally, did not necessarily guarantee his own success. Brazilians had
experienced both right-wing and left-wing governments within a relatively short
span of time. When the moment came to choose, they sided with the man who had
defeated the right for the fourth time in his political career. Lula's
achievement went beyond defeating Bolsonaro. Symbolically, he also defeated the
wider rightward surge that appears to be gathering momentum. That is the
significance many attached to his victory. And perhaps his success offers people
around the world a measure of hope. For wherever the contemporary and less
appealing version of the political right gains power, it often finds itself in
conflict with human beings simply because they are human.
From Yemen to Jordan… Fight Terrorism
Lutfi Fuad Noaman/Asharq Al-Awsat/October 30/2026
The leadership of every country, together with the enlightened national forces
of society, must confront terrorism and strive to reduce the chances of its
emergence.
How great the difference between a state in which unrest has become the norm and
another whose norm is to confront the impulses of unrest and to face down every
form of terrorism the moment it strikes. Yet the Arab concern, the Arab wound,
remains one, from the ocean to the Gulf and from the Levant to Yemen. That is
why the Arabs- Yemen among them- and the whole world stand in solidarity with
the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan after the terrorist attack on the Greek Orthodox
Church of St. George in the village of Hammoud in Karak governorate, southern
Jordan, on Friday, October 23, 2026.
In a scene that proves a leader's engagement and his sense of responsibility,
the exercise of his familiar role toward his country and his citizens, and that
embodies a genuine consolation easing the weight of their ordeal, King Abdullah
bin al-Hussein appeared in his military uniform visiting the wounded and
injured. When terrorist incidents occur, you see a strong and effective
leadership stride onto the field, while the "rats of chaos" hide with their
shame in their holes and caves, before an iron hand reaches them. "With an iron
hand, we will strike anyone who dares to overstep against this country," King
Abdullah II declared, affirming the preservation of the state's authority and
the cohesion of the Jordanian entity against attempts to tear apart, divide,
terrify, and intimidate the sons of a single people that respects its religious
diversity and rises above political difference.
Taking account of the causes of difference and tending the forms of diversity
are the clearest signs of the capacity to bear national responsibility in states
of stability, along with full awareness of the potential dangers. The free and
stable states- Jordan, Saudi Arabia and the rest of the Gulf states, and Egypt
along with some states of the Maghreb- use every capacity for endurance they
possess to avoid wars of attrition. And if a peaceful solution proves
impossible, or the necessary calm cannot be achieved, and excess passes all
bounds, the resolute authorities decide on deterrence and on excising any
"organic part" that threatens stability and shakes the edifice of internal
peace.
Why must terrorism be fought, and how can the chances of its re-emergence be
reduced? During the 1970s and 1980s, the central regions of North Yemen
witnessed terrorist incidents and acts of sabotage carried out by ideological
political groups backed by the southern half of Yemen. They sought to achieve
unity, and had other political aims of an extremist form incompatible with the
requirements of regional stability. That extremist approach planted mines across
central North Yemen during the last century and carried out the most heinous
assassinations abroad and at home. It was then that the late Educator of Yemen,
Ahmad Muhammad Noaman, issued his call: "Fight terrorism in all its forms and
shapes, so that the authority of the state does not fall, and the homeland fall
with it." Whoever is lenient with error is forced to live with danger. So fight
every form of terrorism by every means, so that the homeland does not fall,
whether in Yemen or in Jordan, or in other stable states and those trying to
recover their stability and their authority. So long as terrorism raises the
horns of religious sectarian strife over a country marked by diversity, such as
Jordan with its mountains and its sea, and extends the arm of sectarianism into
a center known for moderation, such as Yemen's Taiz governorate with its
mountains and its sea, the leadership of every country, together with the
enlightened national forces of society, must confront it and strive to reduce
the chances of its emergence. "Fight terrorism," and resist it with the spirit
of national culture and openness to the other, with commitment to the laws and
the constitution, and with support for every sincere leadership that protects
its homeland and safeguards its citizens' right to a safe life free of unrest.
The Opportunity for Dialogue… How the War Changed Sudanese
Thinking
Osman Mirghani/Asharq Al-Awsat/October 30/2026
The war that broke out in Sudan in 2023 was not merely a military clash that
destroyed cities and displaced millions. It was also a social and political
earthquake that brought radical and profound shifts in the Sudanese citizen's
thinking and his view of life and of the political scene, going entirely beyond
the frameworks and concepts that prevailed during the transitional period
following the 2018 revolution. Under the weight of suffering, the priorities of
broad sections of citizens have changed, and so has their view of the state,
politics, security, and their future. Hence a fundamental question: do these
shifts offer an opportunity to rebuild national consensus on new foundations?
During the transitional period, the slogans of freedom, peace, and justice,
alongside questions of democratic transformation and power-sharing, dominated
public debate. Today the war has imposed more pressing priorities: security,
food and medicine, the protection of property, returning home, and preserving
the state from total collapse and partition. This does not mean Sudanese have
abandoned their aspirations to freedom and democracy. Rather, the harsh
experience has reordered priorities, and made the realization of those
aspirations dependent on the existence of a state capable of protecting its
citizens and providing the minimum requirements of life. Despite the sharp
criticism citizens direct at the record of Sudanese governments, the experience
of this war in particular has bred a conviction that the state- in whatever
form- is the safety valve against total chaos. The war has weakened some
sections of the public's trust in the elites who led the scene after the
revolution. Political conflicts and sharp polarization deepened divisions and
contributed, directly or indirectly, to the climate that finally led to the
outbreak of this devastating war.
At the same time, the war has reshaped broad sections' view of the military
institution. For many, preserving the army has become bound up with the survival
and unity of the state in the face of an existential threat, regardless of
earlier disagreements over its political role. A wide rift has also grown
between citizens and the Rapid Support Forces, because of the killing,
violations, looting, and assaults on civilians and their property that it
committed, and its destruction of infrastructure and of state facilities and
service, educational, historical, and cultural institutions. This has been
accompanied by public rejection of any alternatives to state institutions and of
any attempt to create parallel entities and civil administrations, out of fear
of partition scenarios. The war's effects were not confined to politics. They
reached the social fabric, as hate speech and tribal and regional polarization
rose and trust among society's components was harshly tested. The politicization
of the native administration and the exploitation of social constituencies in
the conflict also inflamed tribalism and regionalism and frayed the social
fabric.
Yet the war also revealed local communities' capacity for initiative,
solidarity, and self-reliance. Emergency response rooms, communal kitchens, and
youth initiatives played essential roles in providing food and care and helping
those affected, in the absence of services and with state institutions
paralyzed. This reflects a shift from waiting for solutions from the elites and
the authorities to relying on community initiative, without relieving the state
of its responsibilities. In the same vein, broad sections joined the "popular
resistance" to defend their areas or to support the army.
These shifts set before us a basic fact: the political process cannot be resumed
from the point at which it stopped before April 2023, as though the war had not
happened. Priorities have changed, the balances of trust have shifted, the
circle of those affected has widened, and the questions of security, the unity
of the state, the return of the displaced and refugees, redress, and peaceful
coexistence now stand at the head of any national project.The opportunity for a
comprehensive Sudanese-Sudanese dialogue, owned and led by Sudanese, therefore
requires recognizing that the periods before and after the war differ in their
circumstances and challenges, and that the old quota arrangements and the
visions that governed the transitional period are not necessarily a sufficient
basis for the future.
What is required is not excluding the political forces, but widening
participation to include affected civilians, the young and women, the displaced,
refugees, and Sudanese abroad, local communities, and all other social and
political forces, with agreement on clear criteria for participation and
responsibility.
Nor should the dialogue turn into bargaining among elites over power. Ending the
war, protecting civilians, withdrawing forces from civilian objects, restoring
state institutions, guaranteeing a safe and dignified return for those affected,
and rejecting hate speech are questions that cannot be bypassed.
The war has cost Sudanese a heavy price, but it has also exposed the limits of
the political approaches that could not prevent the collapse. The opportunity
today is not to return to the pre-war scene, but to build a new consensus that
absorbs the war's lessons and responds to the shifts in society. A
Sudanese-Sudanese dialogue does not succeed merely by gathering the parties
around one table, but by its capacity to restore citizens' trust, to tie
politics to their actual needs, and to lay the foundations of a state that
protects everyone without discrimination. That is the task Sudanese should take
up together, before the cost of delay exceeds what remains of the country's
capacity to endure.
Selected Face Book & X tweets
on October 29/2026
Political Pen
Priest Samir Daou Found Murdered After Disappearance
Priest Samir Daou, a native of Ain Jrein who served the parishes of Hsoun and
Farhat in Lebanon’s Jbeil district, was found murdered after contact with him
was lost at around 1 p.m. on Wednesday.
According to preliminary information, suspicion has fallen on a Syrian worker
who was reportedly with Priest Daou before his disappearance. Initial reports
suggest that the worker took the priest's car and fled the scene following the
murder. Security forces are working to track down the suspect and determine his
whereabouts.
Hussain Abdul-Hussain
The Lebanese Druze (the anchor) blames the Israeli Druze (the guest) for siding
with Jewish Netanyahu against Arab parties that he hails from. Israeli Druze
disputes the “Arab origin” part and says he’s not Arab but a proud Israeli.
Who do you think represents more the Druze heritage? The answer is: The Israeli
Druze. This is why:
The Druze view themselves as the oldest monotheism that predates the Arabic
language, culture and civilization. The Druze religion does not attach itself to
any specific language or national origin. The Druze are anchored to their land
and assimilate in any civilization that becomes sovereign over it. The Druze
always seek autonomy, but never seek sovereignty or a national project. It’s a
mix between maintaining their uniqueness on the inside and being like the others
on the outside. Israel granted them what they want. Syria’s Assad did too.
Syria’s Sharaa wants to subdue and Islamize them.
Israel is free enough to allow the Druze to be who they are, even divulge more
of their usually not-so-public religion publicly. This is why the Israeli Druze
isn’t scare of expressing his pride of being Israeli Druze, not Israeli Arab.
Lebanon is not free. The Druze conceal their faith and behave like Muslim Arabs.
The Lebanese Druze therefore blames his coreligionist for betraying the Arab
tribe that the Lebanese Druze must be part of, goes a step further by waxing
poetry about the greatness of the Arab nation. Personal note: The Arab
civilization is great with a rich history. It fell sick, some 500 years ago, and
today insists on past greatness and refuses to diagnose the illness to proscribe
the cure, modernize and catch up with the rest of the world. Liberal America
makes reform impossible by shaming any criticism of the sick Arab collective and
calls it “de-humanization” and imagined nonsense Islamophobia.
Quote
العربية
@AlArabiya
https://x.com/AlArabiya/status/2115199359537102955/video/1
كيف تدعم نتنياهو ضد الأحزاب العربية التي يرجع إليها أصلك؟ الوزير السابق أيوب قرا:
أنا إسرائيلي ولا أفتخر بكوني عربي.. وأفتخر أني أنتمي إلى دولة إسرائيل
الديمقراطية وأدافع عنها ضد الإرهاب ولا أفتخر بالعرب الذين تعتمد ثقافتهم على
القتل ليس أكثر ولم يخرج منهم علماء.. ومذيع العربية:
Irael-Alma @Israel_Alma_org
The investigation into Hezbollah’s explosives shipment, seized at the Dahr al-Baydar
(ضهر البيدر) checkpoint while en route from the Bekaa Valley to Beirut, is
expanding.
According to reports, three Hezbollah members who traveled in a Kia escort
vehicle and continued toward Beirut before the shipment was seized have been
identified. Hezbollah members reportedly disabled surveillance cameras along the
route following the seizure, but investigators obtained footage from other
cameras.The two operatives detained in the Dodge vehicle carrying the explosives
have been identified as Ali al-Kurdi (علي الكردي) and Haitham Amhaz (هيثم أمهز).
The full names of the Hezbollah operatives known as "Sajed" (ساجد) and "Dhu al-Fiqar"
(ذو الفقار), who were responsible for handing over the shipment in Baalbek and
receiving it in the Dahieh, respectively, have not been published.
At this stage, efforts to refer the case to the Judicial Council – a special
court that hears, among other cases, offenses against state security – have been
blocked. Hezbollah has issued threats over possible action against its
operatives and facilities. The case tests the Lebanese state’s ability and
willingness to enforce its decisions asserting exclusive state control over
weapons. A key test is whether the authorities can reach those who organized the
transfer and were to receive the shipment, particularly "Sajed" and "Dhu al-Fiqar."
Failure to pursue the investigation to its conclusion, arrest all those
involved, and implement measures informed by its findings to prevent further
Hezbollah weapons transfers within Lebanon, particularly to areas south of the
Litani River, would provide further evidence of the state’s inability to
exercise its sovereignty effectively.
For further details, read the full report.
Magdi Khalil مجدى خليل
This is the Egyptian actor Amr Abdel Gelil, who recently hosted the extremist
Islamic preacher Haitham Talaat. During their conversation, Talaat reportedly
described all religions except Islam as garbage, and the actor appeared to agree
with him.
In this video, the actor explicitly calls for the killing of all Jews.
Calling for the extermination of people because of their religion is not freedom
of speech, religious expression, or a legitimate opinion. It is a dangerous
incitement to mass murder, driven by religious hatred and extremism. Such calls
for violence must be condemned unequivocally, thoroughly investigated, and
prosecuted wherever they violate the law. No public figure should be allowed to
use their platform to promote hatred, justify murder, or encourage terrorist
violence with impunity.
Quote
Magdi Khalil مجدى خليل
@magdi_khalil
·https://x.com/magdi_khalil/status/2115752423436497231/video/1
هذا الممثل المصرى اسمه عمرو عبد الجليل، الذى استضاف منذ ايام شيخ متطرف اسمه هيثم
طلعت حيث قال ان كل الاديان زبالة إلا الإسلام والممثل وافقه على ذلك.
وفى هذا الفيديو يدعو صراحة الى قتل اليهود جميعا.
هذا تحريض على القتل، وهذه جرائم ارهابية وليست حرية رأي.
Hiba Nasr
The New York Times abt Vance/Rezaei letter:
• Vice President JD Vance sent his letter to Mohsen Rezaei last week through
Qatari mediators.
• In the letter, Vance proposed a meeting between U.S. and Iranian officials in
the near future, indicating that he would personally lead negotiations on behalf
of the United States.
• The proposal was well received by Iran’s leadership, with many Iranian
officials viewing Vance as an influential figure capable of helping end
hostilities. Rezaei is expected to formally respond by Thursday.
• Vance’s letter emphasized the need to resolve the nuclear issue and insisted
that Iran’s nuclear program be on the negotiating table from the outset.
• Vance also stressed the importance of resolving the conflict between
Washington and Tehran through direct negotiations.
• According to the officials, direct talks could begin as early as next week in
Qatar or Turkey.
• If Tehran accepts Vance’s proposal, negotiations would technically begin
without preconditions, according to U.S. and Iranian officials.
• Vance chose to address his letter to Rezaei after U.S. officials concluded
that they needed to engage directly with someone within Iran’s leadership who
holds influence over both the hard-line faction opposed to a deal and the
Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC).
Benjamin Netanyahu - בנימין נתניהו
Likud message:
The Ra'amgate affair is an earthquake. They stole the elections in Israel!
The judge Solberg's statements about the involvement of foreign entities that
interfered and bribed voters in favor of the Arab parties are an unprecedented
shock. This is an attack on democracy whose purpose is to lead to a foreign
takeover of the Knesset, the Islamization of Israel, and the overthrow of
right-wing rule in order to lead to retreat and defeat of the IDF in all arenas
- and primarily Iran.
After it was revealed that foreign entities tried to take over the Knesset, it
is clear that no Zionist party should cooperate with Ra'am and the Joint List,
replace the Knesset Speaker through votes bought for cash, and form a government
that is dangerous to Israel.
We demand to act immediately and with all means available to the Shin Bet and
the police to investigate these crimes.
Dor aharon
The Shin Bet has the information and the capabilities to know everything
How much money was raised, where it came from, who it went to, who bought fuel
cards, how they executed it, how they falsified it The Shin Bet sees, hears, and
knows everything
In addition, the Shin Bet knows about the collaboration between the Arab parties
and the Israeli Ayoobi. We must disqualify the parties that support terrorism.