BEIRUT: Hezbollah welcomes any effort to stop the war in Lebanon but does not pin its hopes for a ceasefire on a particular US administration, Hezbollah lawmaker Ibrahim Al-Moussawi said on Thursday when asked about Donald Trump’s election victory.
“It might be a change in the party who is in power, but when it comes to Israel, they have more or less the same policy,” Moussawi told Reuters.
“We want to see actions, we want to see decisions taken,” he said. Israel and Iran-backed Hezbollah have exchanged fire for more than a year, in parallel with the Gaza war, but fighting has escalated since late September, with Israeli troops intensifying bombing of Lebanon’s south and east and making ground incursions into border villages.
Israel says it is targeting Hezbollah infrastructure and military assets, while avoiding civilians. Hezbollah and Lebanese officials point to the rising death toll, with more than 3,000 killed, and widespread destruction in the country as evidence that Israel is targeting civilians. US diplomatic efforts to halt fighting between Israel and Hezbollah, which included a 60-day ceasefire proposal, faltered last week ahead of the US election on Tuesday in which former President Donald Trump recaptured the White House.
Moussawi acknowledged the heavy toll of Israeli attacks that have blown apart thousands of buildings, mostly in Lebanon’s Shiite Muslim-dominated south and east and Beirut’s southern suburbs, but said the group’s military capabilities remained strong.
“Our hearts are broken — we are losing very dear lives. This feeling that cannot be punished or brought to international justice is a result of USsupport which renders them immune to accountability,” he said.
“America is a full partner in what’s happening because they can exercise influence to stop this destruction.”
Massad Boulos, a Lebanese-American billionaire who is the father-in-law of Trump’s daughter, Tiffany, said he would be in charge of negotiating with the Lebanese side to reach an agreement to end the war, Lebanese broadcaster Al Jadeed quoted him as saying this week.
He also said that Trump was aiming to end the war before he took office in January, Al Jadeed reported. Reuters could not immediately reach Boulos.
The Israeli government celebrated Trump’s return to power, saying he was a leader who would support them “unconditionally.”
STRIKE AT ARMY CHECKPOINT
Overnight on Wednesday, Israel carried out a series of strikes in Beirut’s southern suburbs, including at least one strike just tens of meters from Beirut airport’s runways.
Lebanese Transport Minister Ali Hamiye said the airport was functioning normally on Thursday.
Hezbollah calls for US action, not words, as Trump reclaims White House
https://arab.news/9cu25
Hezbollah calls for US action, not words, as Trump reclaims White House
- “It might be a change in the party who is in power, but when it comes to Israel, they have more or less the same policy,” Moussawi told Reuters
- “We want to see actions, we want to see decisions taken”
Blinken proposes UN role, Palestinian state path in Gaza
WASHINGTON: US Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Tuesday proposed international security forces and temporary UN leadership to stabilize post-war Gaza but said Israel in turn must agree on a pathway to a Palestinian state.
With talks in Qatar nearing a ceasefire in the devastating 15-month war, Blinken laid out his long-awaited roadmap for post-war Gaza after a defeat of Hamas — with days left before he leaves office.
Blinken acknowledged the misgivings of Israel — where Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu leads a far-right government and expects even stronger US support under President-elect Donald Trump — but pleaded for a new approach.
“We’ve long made the point to the Israeli government that Hamas cannot be defeated by a military campaign alone,” Blinken said at the Atlantic Council think tank in Washington.
“Without a clear alternative, a post-conflict plan and a credible political horizon for the Palestinians, Hamas — or something just as abhorrent and dangerous — will grow back,” he said.
In line with his calls since the start of the war, Blinken said that Gaza should be under the control of the Palestinian Authority — which now holds shaky, partial control of the West Bank and has been repeatedly undermined by Israel.
Acknowledging the limitations of the Palestinian Authority, Blinken said an unstated number of countries have offered to send troops and police to post-war Gaza.
He said that the “interim security mission” would include both foreign forces and “vetted Palestinian personnel.”
“We believe that the Palestinian Authority should invite international partners to help establish and run an interim administration with responsibility for key civil sectors in Gaza, like banking, water, energy, health,” Blinken said.
The Palestinian Authority would coordinate with Israel and the rest of the international community, which would be asked to provide funding.
A senior UN official would oversee the effort, which would be enshrined by a UN Security Council resolution, Blinken said.
“The interim administration would include Palestinians from Gaza and representatives from the PA selected following meaningful consultation with communities in Gaza,” Blinken said.
The interim authority “would hand over a complete responsibility to a fully reformed PA administration as soon as it’s feasible,” he said.
The post-war deal would take shape in negotiations after an initial ceasefire, which both Blinken and President Joe Biden said was on the “brink” of acceptance.
Trump has backed efforts to end the war but is also expected to ally himself firmly with Israel, to which Biden authorized billions in weapons but occasionally criticized over civilian deaths.
Netanyahu has long fought the idea of a Palestinian state, and his allies have described the renewed push for statehood as a reward for the October 7, 2023 attack, the deadliest in Israel’s history.
Blinken rejected the argument, saying: “Far from rewarding Hamas, accepting a political horizon would be the ultimate rebuke to its nihilistic agenda of death and destruction.”
Blinken, who was repeatedly interrupted by pro-Palestinian protesters, also criticized Israel over actions during the conflict.
“Israel’s government has systematically undermined the capacity and legitimacy of the only viable alternative to Hamas, the Palestinian Authority.”
Nawaf Salam to begin consultations to form Lebanese government
- Nawaf Salam: I am not one of those who exclude or marginalize anyone; rather, I advocate for unity and national partnership
- Salam: The time has come to begin a new chapter rooted in justice, security, progress and opportunities for Lebanon to be a country of free people equal in rights and duties
BEIRUT: Lebanese Prime Minister-designate Nawaf Salam will begin non-binding parliamentary consultations on Wednesday and Thursday to form his government despite Hezbollah’s concerns about being excluded and doubts over the issue of legitimacy.
Hezbollah and its ally, the Amal Movement, have consistently adopted this approach during their periods in power to obstruct anything that does not align with their political ambitions.
Both President Joseph Aoun and Salam on Tuesday sought to reassure all parties in Lebanon despite the appointment of Salam lacking any Shiite parliamentary votes for him.
According to a political observer, there are fears of “potential obstacles to forming the government and granting it parliamentary confidence under the pretext of ‘lacking legitimacy,’ even if the cabinet includes Shiite figures in ministerial positions that may not meet their approval.”
Mohammed Raad, head of Hezbollah’s parliamentary bloc, took an antagonistic stance after meeting with Aoun on Monday, stating that favoring Salam for the premiership over Najib Mikati, the incumbent caretaker prime minister supported by Hezbollah, is “an attempt by some to foster division, fragmentation, and exclusion.”
He warned: “It is our right to demand a government that upholds the national pact. We will monitor developments wisely and see their actions to expel Israel from southern Lebanon and return the prisoners.”
In response, the president, speaking before the highest Shiite religious authority in Lebanon, Sheikh Ali Al-Khatib, vice president of the Supreme Islamic Shiite Council, who visited him at the presidential palace, stressed that “no obstacles should be placed in the way of forming the government because we must seize the significant opportunities ahead of us. There is no time to waste, and we need to send positive messages abroad that Lebanon is capable of self-governance, transparent reconstruction, and building the state we all aspire to.”
Aoun emphasized that “the Shiites are not the only ones under threat; all of Lebanon is at risk. If one component is weakened, the entire country is weakened.”
He described the appointment of Salam to form the government as “the result of a democratic process that led to a certain outcome. There are additional phases to come. At times, we may have to take a step back, but the public interest remains the priority.”
Aoun said that “any attack on any part of Lebanon is an attack on all of Lebanon. We are pressing for Israeli withdrawal and the deployment of the Lebanese army in the south.”
The president continued: “Had there been a state and an army in the past, no one would have resorted to resistance.
“The current phase is different. The state bears responsibility, not just a single faction. The entire state and the Lebanese people as a whole are accountable."
He said that it is “not permissible for one group to bear the burden of this conflict (with Israel).”
Aoun recalled the position of Imam Musa Al-Sadr, who advocated for Lebanon’s neutrality in conflicts, noting that Lebanon, given its size, lacks the capacity to engage.
He addressed Sheikh Al-Khatib, saying: “You cannot distance yourselves from the teachings of Imam Al-Sadr; otherwise, you will not belong to the Supreme Islamic Shia Council or the Shiite community. Rest assured that no one will overpower anyone, no one will let anyone down, and no one will break anyone.”
Salam returned from The Hague late on Monday, shortly after being handed the responsibility of forming the government.
On Tuesday he met with the president and, for a brief period, Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri joined the meeting.
According to protocol, Salam delivered his first address to the Lebanese people from the presidential palace, stating his “commitment to the challenging task of serving Lebanon.”
Salam said: “I listened to some concerns yesterday. I am not one of those who exclude or marginalize anyone; rather, I advocate for unity and national partnership, and my hands are extended to all to initiate reforms so that no citizen feels marginalized.”
He added: “The time has come to begin a new chapter rooted in justice, security, progress and opportunities for Lebanon to be a country of free people equal in rights and duties … working to extend the authority of the state over all its territories.”
Salam emphasized the need for the government “to formulate a comprehensive program aimed at fostering a productive economy and ensuring job opportunities for future generations.”
He said: “A significant portion of our population still have their homes destroyed, as well as their institutions, and we must rebuild the villages in the Bekaa, the south and Beirut. Reconstruction is not just a promise but a commitment.”
He also underscored the importance of executing the Taif Agreement, saying: “The foundation of the long-anticipated reforms lies in addressing the provisions of the Taif Agreement that remain unfulfilled and rectifying those that have been implemented.”
Salam called for “the establishment of extensive administrative decentralization, delivering justice to the victims of the port explosion, and compensating depositors who have suffered financial losses.”
He said: “I will guarantee that no citizen experiences feelings of injustice, marginalization, or exclusion.”
Furthermore, Salam highlighted the urgent need to focus on “the complete implementation of Resolution 1701 and the terms of the ceasefire agreement, reinforcing the state’s authority across all its territories, and ensuring the withdrawal of the Israeli army from every part of Lebanon.”
The French Foreign Ministry congratulated Salam on his appointment, wishing him “every success in carrying out his mission, at this historic time for Lebanon. France very much hopes that a strong government, capable of bringing Lebanon together in all its diversity, may be formed as soon as possible to carry out the reforms essential for the recovery of Lebanon and its state, to allow the return of prosperity for the Lebanese people and the restoration of Lebanon’s security and sovereignty throughout its territory.
“The Lebanese premier will be able to count on France’s full support in its missions, to the benefit of all Lebanese people,” the ministry added.
Lebanon’s grand mufti, Sheikh Abdul Latif Derian, said that “facilitating the task of the designated prime minister to form a comprehensive national government composed of experts and qualified individuals is a national duty.”
After his meeting with Sheikh Derian, Saudi Ambassador to Lebanon Walid Al-Bukhari said: “The Kingdom will always stand by Lebanon and its people.”
He expressed his “satisfaction with the completion of the presidential elections and parliamentary consultations, which promote unity among the Lebanese people and steer Lebanon toward a renaissance both economically and developmentally, in order to pave the way for the reform process and restore the trust of the Arab and international communities.”
Meanwhile, Israeli warplanes resumed their incursions into Lebanese airspace, particularly over Beirut and the southern suburbs.
On Tuesday, the Lebanese army raided the Sadiq compound in Al-Aamroussieh after receiving reports of weapons and ammunition stored underground. But after searching the area — previously targeted by Israel — the army found no weapons or ammunition.
Jordan’s king checks largest aid convoy to Gaza Strip
- Shipment will be the 140th aid convoy sent by Amman since Israel’s war on Gaze began in late 2023
- King Abdullah commended the JHCO’ humanitarian work over the past 35 years
LONDON: King Abdullah of Jordan visited the Jordanian Hashemite Charitable Organization on Tuesday to check on the largest aid convoy that Amman is preparing to send to the Gaza Strip.
King Abdullah visited the organization’s warehouse in Zarqa City, northeast of Amman, where staff were assembling 120 trucks of food, relief, and medical aid for Gaza.
This shipment will be the 140th aid convoy sent by Amman since late 2023 when Israel launched its onslaught on Gaza.
The JHCO has delivered 73,000 tonnes of humanitarian aid and relief to Gaza, worth $212 million, benefiting at least 1.4 million Palestinians in the enclave since the start of the war, the Petra news agency reported.
King Abdullah commended the JHCO’s humanitarian work in various countries hit by war or natural disasters in the past 35 years.
Prince Rashid bin Al-Hassan, the JHCO chairman, was handed a Silver Jubilee Medal by King Abdullah to recognize the organization’s humanitarian contributions.
Bahraini king arrives in Oman for 2-day state visit
- Squadron of military aircraft escorts king’s jet to Muscat
- Omani artillery fires 21-gun salute for royal guest
LONDON: Omani Sultan Haitham bin Tariq welcomed Bahraini King Hamad bin Isa Al-Khalifa to Muscat on Tuesday.
The Bahraini royal is on a two-day state visit to Oman.
A squadron of Royal Air Force military aircraft escorted the king’s jet to Muscat’s Royal Airport.
The two leaders’ motorcade then departed to Al-Alam Palace for an official public reception, the Oman News Agency reported.
Sultan Haitham accompanied King Hamad to the Dais of Honor, where the Bahraini national anthem was played and a 21-gun salute was performed.
King Hamad is accompanied by an official delegation that includes Sheikh Rashid bin Abdullah Al-Khalifa, the minister of interior; Abdullatif bin Rashid Al-Zayani, the foreign minister; and Juma bin Ahmed Al-Kaabi, ambassador of Bahrain to Oman.
Unexploded ordnance killing Syria’s children at ‘alarming rate’: UN
- UNICEF warned that Syria’s girls and boys “continue to suffer the brutal impact of unexploded ordnance at an alarming rate
- UNICEF communications manager for emergencies Ricardo Pires said: “Across Syria, children face this lurking, often invisible, and extremely deadly threat“
GENEVA: More than 100 children were killed or wounded in Syria last month alone after setting off mines and other unexploded ordnance littering the country after nearly 14 years of civil war, the UN said Tuesday.
The United Nations children’s agency UNICEF warned that Syria’s girls and boys “continue to suffer the brutal impact of unexploded ordnance at an alarming rate.”
Such ordnance, dubbed UXOs, are explosive weapons such as bombs, shells, grenades, land mines and cluster munitions, that did not explode when they were deployed and remain a risk, sometimes for decades.
In December alone, as Syria was rocked by dramatic political upheaval following the sudden ousting of strongman Bashar Assad, UNICEF said it received reports of 116 children killed or injured by UXOs.
That is “an average of nearly four per day,” UNICEF communications manager for emergencies Ricardo Pires told reporters in Geneva, speaking via videolink from Damascus, adding that “this is believed to be an underestimate.”
“Across Syria, children face this lurking, often invisible, and extremely deadly threat.”
Nearly 14 years of brutal civil war, which killed more than 500,000 people and displaced millions, has left an estimated 324,000 pieces of unexploded ordnance scattered across Syria, Pires said.
“Over the past nine years, at least 422,000 incidents involving UXOs were reported in 14 governorates across the country,” he said, adding that half of those were “estimated to have ended in tragic child casualties.”
He warned that the danger had been worsened with renewed displacement since Islamist-led rebels last November 27 launched the offensive that would overthrow Assad just 11 days later.
Since then, he pointed out, “over a quarter of a million children were forced to flee their homes due to escalating conflict.”
“For these children, and those trying to return to their original areas, the peril of UXO is constant and unavoidable,” he said.
UNICEF stressed the need to dramatically scale up explosive clearance.
“It is imperative that immediate investment takes place to ensure the ground is safe and clear of explosives,” Pires said, warning that some five million children currently live in contaminated areas.
“It’s the main cause of child casualties in Syria right now,” he warned.
“Every step they take carries the risk of an unimaginable tragedy.”
UNICEF spokesman James Elder said an investment of only a few tens of millions of dollars would be enough to make a huge difference.
It “would save thousands of lives and will be an absolutely imperative part if Syria is to again become a middle income country,” he told reporters.
“It’s a very cheap price that needs to be paid.”
