DAMASCUS: After racing from Lebanon to Syria to celebrate the fall of the Assad regime and making arrangements for his family to follow, 42-year-old Anas Idrees knew what was next on his list of priorities.
He ventured into the grand Hamidiyeh Souk in old Damascus until he arrived at the renowned Bakdash ice cream parlour, then ordered a large scoop of their signature mastic-infused Arabic gelato.
Idrees had last savoured it 15 years earlier, before the Syrian civil war made him a refugee.
“I swear to God, it tastes different now,” he said after eating a spoonful. “It was good before, but it’s changed because now we are happy inside.”
For more than 100 years and through many wars, Bakdash has served up an Arabic-style of ice cream that is infused with Sahlab, a flour made from orchid roots and pounded by hand with meter-long mallets until it takes on a soft, stretchy texture.
A generous heap costs just $1 per bowl, and is served coated in pistachios.
Bakdash is much-loved across Syria, but many Syrians have been unable to visit their capital city since former Syrian President Bashar Assad cracked down on pro-democracy protests in 2011, igniting a 13-year civil war that divided the country.
In the wake of Assad’s ouster following a lightning rebel advance, tens of thousands of Syrians have converged on Damascus from across the country and outside its borders.
On Monday, hundreds turned up at Bakdash, many of them fighters fresh from the battlefield who slung guns around their backs to tuck into the cool treat that sometimes got caught in long, unkempt beards.
Ahmed Aslaan, a 22-year-old combatant wearing green fatigues, said he had not seen Damascus in more than a decade and enjoying the ice cream was a perk of his newfound freedom.
“Thank God we achieved our goal. Now we can go around all of Syria in our own car,” he said between bites. “We were all stuck in a tiny area before, now we have space.”
Co-owner Samir Bakdash said reopening the day after Assad fell was his way to show his joy at the end of a government that oppressed Syrians for decades and forced him to pay bribes just to keep his shop open.
He insisted the signature recipe had not changed since his great-grandfather came up with it in the 1890s.
But even regular customers said something felt new.
“It tastes different – it’s delicious and has gotten even better,” said Eman Ghazal, a business student in her 20s who has been coming to Bakdash since she was a child.
“It’s not just the ice cream, it’s life in general. It’s as if the walls are smiling and the sun has finally come out.”
Syrians taste freedom at famous Damascus ice cream parlour
https://arab.news/83jkk
Syrians taste freedom at famous Damascus ice cream parlour
- Idrees had last savoured it 15 years earlier, before the Syrian civil war made him a refugee
- For more than 100 years and through many wars, Bakdash has served up an Arabic-style of ice cream that is infused with Sahlab
Islamist leader killed in Israeli strike south of Beirut: official
- Civil Defense said an Israeli drone targeted a car near the coastal town of Damour
BEIRUT: A military leader of Jamaa Islamiya, a Lebanese Islamist group allied with Palestinian Hamas, was killed Tuesday in an Israeli strike south of Beirut, a security official told AFP on condition of anonymity.
According to the Lebanese Civil Defense, “an Israeli drone targeted a car” near the coastal town of Damour, about 20 kilometers south of Beirut, and rescuers recovered a man’s body from the vehicle.
Gaza’s Christians ‘heartbroken’ for pope who phoned them nightly
CAIRO/BEIRUT: Members of Gaza’s tiny Christian community said they were “heartbroken” on Monday at the death of Pope Francis, who campaigned for peace for the devastated enclave and spoke to them on the phone every evening throughout the war.
Across the wider Middle East, Palestinian, Lebanese and Syrian Christians, both Catholic and Orthodox, praised Francis’ constant engagement with them as a source of solace at a time when their communities faced wars, disasters, hardship and persecution.
“We lost a saint who taught us every day how to be brave, how to keep patient and stay strong. We lost a man who fought every day in every direction to protect this small herd of his,” George Antone, 44, head of the emergency committee at the Holy Family Church in Gaza, told Reuters.
Francis called the church hours after the war in Gaza began in October 2023, Antone said, the start of what the Vatican News Service would describe as a nightly routine throughout the war. He would make sure to speak not only to the priest but to everyone else in the room, Antone said.
“We are heartbroken because of the death of Pope Francis, but we know that he is leaving behind a church that cares for us and that knows us by name — every single one of us,” Antone said, referring to the Christians of Gaza who number in the hundreds.
“He used to tell each one: I am with you, don’t be afraid.”
Francis phoned a final time on Saturday night, the pastor of the Holy Family parish, Rev. Gabriel Romanelli, told the Vatican News Service.
“He said he was praying for us, he blessed us, and he thanked us for our prayers,” Romanelli said.
The next day, in his last public statement on Easter, Francis appealed for peace in Gaza, telling the warring parties to “call a ceasefire, release the hostages and come to the aid of a starving people that aspires to a future of peace.”
’PEACE IN THIS LAND’
At the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem, on the site where many Christians believe Jesus was crucified, buried and resurrected, the superior of the Latin community, Father Stephane Milovitch, said Francis had stood for peace.
“We wish that peace will finally come very soon in this land and we wish the next pope will be able to help to have peace in Jerusalem and in all the world,” he said.
In Lebanon, where a war between Israel and Hezbollah caused widespread casualties and extensive damage last year, sending millions from their homes, members of the Catholic Maronite community spoke of Francis’ frequent mentions of their plight.
“He’s a saint for us because he carried Lebanon and the Middle East in his heart, especially in the last period of war,” said a priest in the southern Lebanese town of Rmeish, which was badly damaged during Israel’s military campaign last year.
“We always felt he was very involved and he mobilized all the Catholic institutions and funds to help Lebanon throughout the crises that we went through,” said Marie-Jo Dib, who works at a social foundation in Lebanon.
“He was a rebel and I really pray that the next pope will be like him,” she added.
Francis made repeated trips to the Middle East, including to Iraq in 2021 where he learned that two suicide bombers had attempted to assassinate him in Mosul, a once cosmopolitan city where the Daesh militant group proclaimed a caliphate from 2014-17.
He visited the ruins of four destroyed churches there and launched an appeal for peace.
In Syria, Archbishop Antiba Nicolas said he was holding mass at the historic Damascus Zaitoun church when he was handed a slip of paper with the news.
“He used to say ‘dearest Syria’ every time he spoke of Syria. He called on all international organizations to support Syria, the Christian presence and the church in Syria during the crisis in the past years,” Nicolas said.
Arabs mourn death of Pope Francis, advocate of interfaith dialogue and human dignity
- A day before his death, Pope Francis called in his Easter message for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza and the release of Israeli hostages
- He was the first pontiff to visit the Gulf when he traveled to the UAE in 2019, where he signed the “Document on Human Fraternity”
LONDON: He preferred to be called “Father” rather than “Your Holiness,” and in his simple white cassock, Pope Francis carried a message of humility far beyond Vatican walls. He washed the feet of migrants, embraced the poor and forsaken, and reminded the world that true power lies in service — not ceremony.
From the barrios of Buenos Aires to the marble corridors of the Holy See, Jorge Mario Bergoglio never lost touch with those on the margins. His papacy redefined what it meant to lead the Catholic Church in the 21st century, making space for both tough conversations and tender compassion.
The death on Monday of Francis, the first pontiff from the Global South and a revolutionary force in the modern Catholic Church, came a day after he appeared on the balcony of St. Peter’s Basilica to greet Easter Sunday crowds, despite recovering from a serious illness.
The passing followed a year of declining health. He twice survived life-threatening pneumonia in 2025 and spent more than a month in hospital before being discharged on March 23. He had continued to speak out on global issues almost until the very end.
Elected on March 13, 2013, following Benedict XVI’s resignation, Francis inherited a church in crisis — from widespread clergy abuse scandals to infighting within the Curia, the Holy See’s administrative body.
He was chosen with a clear mandate to restore credibility and accountability, quickly shifting the church’s tone and priorities. His leadership marked a sharp break from his predecessor’s, steering the church toward greater openness, transparency and engagement with global issues.
As the first Latin American, first Jesuit, and first non-European Bishop of Rome since Syrian-born Gregory III in the 8th century, Francis’ rise from modest beginnings in Argentina symbolized a church increasingly reflective of its diverse global flock.
His background profoundly influenced his pastoral mission. Social justice became a cornerstone of his papacy, with a focus on the poor, refugees and marginalized groups.
“He taught us to live the values of the gospel with fidelity, courage and universal love, especially in favor of the poorest and most marginalized,” Cardinal Farrell said in his Monday statement.
Among the most distinctive aspects of Francis’ papacy was his engagement with the Middle East and the Arab world. His leadership was marked by historic outreach to both Muslim and Christian communities, with a persistent focus on peace and human dignity.
In 2019, he made history as the first pope to visit the Arabian Gulf, traveling to the United Arab Emirates. He later visited Bahrain in 2022. Both trips highlighted his commitment to interfaith dialogue, religious freedom and peaceful coexistence, as he met with regional leaders and addressed human rights concerns.
During his visit to the UAE, the pope and Sheikh Ahmed El-Tayeb, grand imam of Egypt’s Al-Azhar Mosque, signed the “Document on Human Fraternity.” The agreement pledged a lasting partnership to reject violence and extremism.
Francis’ commitment to peace was further highlighted in 2021 with his historic pilgrimage to Iraq, where he met privately with Grand Ayatollah Ali Sistani, a leading figure in Shiite Islam. This visit marked a significant milestone in interfaith dialogue and reinforced Francis’ efforts for peace and reconciliation in the Middle East.
In December 2024, Francis welcomed Mohammed Al-Issa, secretary-general of the Makkah-based Muslim World League (MWL), to the Vatican, where they discussed mutual cooperation and shared interests.
While his public statements often drew both praise and criticism, they consistently reflected his defense of civilian life and dignity in conflict zones. This advocacy extended to his final days.
On the day before his passing, Francis dedicated part of his Easter message to Palestinians in war-torn Gaza. “I appeal once again,” he said, “for an immediate ceasefire in the Gaza Strip, for the release of the hostages … and for access to humanitarian aid.”
Munther Isaac, a Palestinian Christian theologian based in Bethlehem, expressed his sorrow over the pope’s death. “Palestinians, and Palestinian Christians in particular, have lost a dear friend today,” he wrote on X.
He praised the late pope’s “true compassion to Palestinians, most notably to those in Gaza during this genocide,” highlighting his consistent outreach to “the Christian community besieged in Gaza on a constant basis, even from his hospital.”
His empathy extended to those caught in conflict. In 2024, he denounced Israel’s military campaign in Gaza as “immoral” and “disproportionate,” urging an investigation into whether the actions amounted to genocide. The statement sparked diplomatic tensions with Israel, but Francis remained steadfast.
UNRWA Commissioner-General Philippe Lazzarini also mourned the pope’s death, acknowledging his “constant” and “persistent” calls for a ceasefire and the release of hostages.
“His voice has contributed to draw the attention to the significant dehumanization of the war in Gaza (and) beyond,” Lazzarini wrote on X. “It was an honor to meet Pope Francis. Deeply grateful for his (and) the Holy See’s support to Palestine refugees (and) UNRWA.”
By consistently advocating for a two-state solution for Israelis and Palestinians, Francis left a legacy as a tireless voice for peace and human dignity, in the Arab world and beyond.
At the Vatican, Francis facilitated unprecedented encounters, including a 2014 prayer summit with Israeli and Palestinian leaders. This demonstrated his belief that dialogue and prayer could lay the foundations for lasting peace.
On Easter Sunday, his prayers extended to the Christian communities in Lebanon and Syria, countries “presently experiencing a delicate transition in their history.” He called on the church to “keep the Christians of the beloved Middle East in its thoughts and prayers.”
The death of Francis has been felt deeply across the region, where his leadership and compassion were revered by many.
Yeghia Tashjian, regional and international affairs cluster coordinator at the Issam Fares Institute for Public Policy and International Affairs at the American University of Beirut, told Arab News: “Pope Francis is often considered a great person by many because of his humility, compassion and focus on social justice.”
He added that the late pope’s humble approach was reflected not only in his title, but also in his actions. “I think most of us will remember him as a humble church leader who always preferred to be called ‘Father’ instead of ‘Your Holiness’,” Tashjian said. “I believe this should be an example to many church leaders in the East.
“Most importantly,” he added, “he was not an elitist and was always concerned for the well-being of the people; this is why in his era there was a strong commitment by the Catholic youth to the church, even in Western countries.”
In his reflections on Francis’ legacy, Tashjian also highlighted the Pope’s deep concern for Lebanon and the wider region. He said: “When it comes to Lebanon and the region, it was always in his prayers. He called for a ceasefire during the war and the end of the war in Gaza; he often criticized political leaders for their lack of commitment to peace.
“I think the Catholic world and the rest of the world will miss such a humble leader. I hope he will be an inspiration for religious leaders around the world,” Tashjian added.
Francis also showed concern for the suffering of Lebanese people after the Beirut port explosion, which killed at least 220 people and injured more than 6,000. In August 2024, he met 30 relatives of the blast’s victims in a private audience at the Vatican and expressed his support for their call for “truth and justice which have not yet arrived.
“All of us know that the issues are complex and difficult, and that opposing powers and interests make their influence felt,” he said. “Yet truth and justice must prevail over all else.”
Moroever, Francis consistently championed Lebanon as an example of religious pluralism and a beacon of peace. On Aug. 26, 2024, he reaffirmed Lebanon’s vocation “to be a land where diverse communities live together in concord, setting the common good above individual advantage; a land where different religions and confessions encounter one another in a spirit of fraternity.”
Syrians, too, feel the loss of Francis, seeing him as an advocate for their plight. Camille Otrakji, a Syrian Canadian analyst, told Arab News: “Behind the scenes, Pope Francis sought to ease the suffering of the Syrian people by quietly urging the Biden administration to acknowledge and respond to their prolonged humanitarian crisis.”
Otrakji also cited some of Francis’ powerful symbolic gestures that resonated deeply in the region. “In 2016, Pope Francis washed and kissed the feet of Muslim migrants, saying ‘we are all children of God’ — a powerful show of support for Syrian and Middle Eastern refugees in Europe.”
He highlighted other moments that resonated with regional Christians, including the pope’s correction of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s claim that Jesus Christ spoke Hebrew. “Pope Francis reminded him that Jesus spoke Aramaic, a language that originated in the ancient region of Syria,” he said.
“In 2015, he signed a treaty that officially recognized Palestine as a state,” Otrakji added.
Arab and Muslim leaders offered their condolences following the Vatican’s announcement of Francis’ death.
On Monday, in a post on X, Al-Issa of the MWL wrote: “Our friendship with the prominent late pontiff had a clear impact on the cooperation between the MWL and the Vatican in serving our shared objectives.
“We commend the late pope for his wisdom, his principled stances, and his positive contributions, particularly concerning the Islamic world and its causes.”
Likewise, the Muslim Council of Elders, headed by Egypt’s Grand Imam Ahmed Al-Tayyeb, extended its condolences to “the leaders of the Catholic Church, our Christian brethren, and all advocates of peace and coexistence worldwide.”
The group released a statement on X, saying Francis “embodied a singular example of compassion and becoming a historic religious figure whose enduring humanitarian legacy will inspire future generations.”
Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi also offered his condolences, describing Francis as “a voice of peace, love and compassion.”
UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed extended his “deepest condolences to Catholics around the world,” writing on X that the pope “dedicated his life to promoting the principles of peaceful coexistence and understanding.”
Lebanese President Joseph Aoun delivered a statement on the presidency’s X account, calling Francis’ death “a loss for all humanity, for he was a powerful voice for justice and peace” who called for “dialogue between religions and cultures.”
Jordan’s King Abdullah II, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas also paid tribute to Francis.
In a statement to Arab News, Muath Alamri, director of the MWL, expressed “deep sorrow” at Francis’ death, calling him “a man of profound humility and wisdom.”
“On behalf of the MWL, I extend our heartfelt condolences to our Catholic friends around the world,” he said. “Pope Francis was a beacon of compassion and a strong advocate for justice and human dignity.”
Alamri praised the pope’s lifelong dedication to service and interfaith dialogue, saying he “will be remembered for his efforts to promote interfaith dialogue in the region and beyond.”
He added that the late pope’s “work to build bridges between communities, promoting harmony and peace among people of all faiths, was a testament to his noble character and his unwavering belief in the power of mutual understanding and cooperation.”
He leaves a legacy of peace, social justice and interfaith dialogue, profoundly impacting the Middle East and inspiring global communities with his commitment to humanity and reconciliation.
Lawyers denounce ‘fabricated’ Tunisia trial of opposition
- Among those sentenced were well-known opposition figures, lawyers and business people. Some have already been in prison for two years while others are in exile or still free
TUNIS: Lawyers and relatives on Monday denounced the hefty sentences handed down to Tunisian opposition figures in last week’s mass trial as “fabricated” and “unfounded,” and said they will appeal.
A court in Tunis in the early hours of Saturday handed down jail terms of up to 66 years to around 40 defendants, including vocal critics of President Kais Saied.
They were accused of “conspiracy against state security” and “belonging to a terrorist group” among other charges, according to their lawyers.
Defense lawyer Samir Dilou said on Monday the trial was “unprecedented in Tunisia” as “it handed the defendants a total of 892 years in prison.”
He said key evidence in the case was still missing, as lawyers had complained that they did not have full access to the case file.
“They still haven’t told us how the defendants conspired against the state,” Dilou told journalists.
He said an appeal could be filed as early as Tuesday.
Among those sentenced were well-known opposition figures, lawyers and business people. Some have already been in prison for two years while others are in exile or still free.
Several were arrested in February 2023, after which Saied labelled them “terrorists.”
Abdennasser Mehri, another defense lawyer, called the trial a “blatant violation of the law.”
“It’s a fabricated, unfounded case with a plan set in advance,” he said. “The scales of justice are broken.”
Dilou said Ahmed Souab, also a defense lawyer, was arrested early Monday after police raided his home.
Local media said he was accused of “threatening to commit terrorist crimes” in a statement made on Saturday after the trial, criticizing political pressure judges were allegedly under.
Online videos showed Souab saying that “knives are not on the necks of detainees, but on the neck of the judge issuing the ruling.”
Souab, a former judge, is expected to remain in detention “for five days and he won’t be allowed to communicate with his lawyers for 48 hours,” Dilou told AFP.
Human Rights Watch said on Saturday the court “did not give even a semblance of a fair trial” to the defendants.
Defense lawyer Dalila Msaddek said the trial was used “to lump together everyone they wanted to get rid of.”
Politicians Issam Chebbi and Jawhar Ben Mbarek of the opposition National Salvation Front coalition, as well as lawyer Ridha BelHajj and activist Chaima Issa, were sentenced to 18 years behind bars.
Activist Khayam Turki was handed a 48-year term and businessman Kamel Eltaief received the harshest penalty — 66 years in prison, according to lawyers.
Some defendants are abroad and were tried in absentia, like French intellectual Bernard Henri-Levy who received a 33-year jail term, lawyers said.
Since Saied launched a power grab in the summer of 2021 and assumed total control, rights advocates and opposition figures have decried a rollback of freedoms in the North African country where the 2011 Arab Spring began.
RSF shelling kills over 30 in besieged Sudanese city
- Sunday’s attack involved ‘heavy artillery shelling’ and targeted El-Fasher’s residential neighborhoods
PORT SUDAN: Paramilitary shelling of Sudan’s besieged city of El-Fasher, in the western region of Darfur, has killed more than 30 civilians and wounded dozens more, activists said on Monday.
The attack, which took place on Sunday, involved “heavy artillery shelling” and targeted the city’s residential neighborhoods, said the local resistance committee, one of hundreds of volunteer groups coordinating aid across Sudan.
Since April 2023, the war between the army and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces has killed tens of thousands, uprooted 13 million, and created what the UN describes as the world’s worst humanitarian crisis.
El-Fasher, the state capital of North Darfur, remains the last major city in the vast Darfur region that the paramilitary group has not conquered.
Last week, the RSF launched a renewed offensive on the city and two nearby displacement camps — Zamzam and Abu Shouk — killing more than 400 people and displacing some 400,000, according to the UN.
In a bloody ground offensive, the RSF took control of Zamzam camp, where aid workers say up to 1 million people were sheltering.
According to the UN, most of the displaced fled just north, to El-Fasher city itself, or 60 km west to the small town of Tawila.
By Thursday, more than 150,000 people had arrived in El-Fasher, while another 180,000 had fled to Tawila, the UN’s migration agency has said.
Humanitarian aid is nearly nonexistent in both famine-threatened towns.
On Monday, the UN’s humanitarian chief, Tom Fletcher, described the situation in the region as “horrifying.”
He said he had spoken by phone with army chief Gen. Abdel Fattah Al-Burhan and his rival paramilitary commander Gen. Mohammed Hamdan Dagalo, who committed to giving “full access to get aid in.”
Throughout the war, both the army and the RSF have been accused of using starvation as a weapon of war against civilians.
International aid agencies have long warned that a full-scale RSF assault on El-Fasher could lead to devastating urban warfare and a new wave of mass displacement.
UNICEF has described the situation as “hell on earth” for at least 825,000 children trapped in and around El-Fasher.
Following the army’s recapture of the capital Khartoum last month, the RSF has intensified efforts to seize El-Fasher, a strategic target for the paramilitary to consolidate its hold on Darfur.
The RSF already controls nearly all of the vast region, about the size of France, and parts of the south.
The army holds the country’s center, east, and north.
However, the UN warned of a catastrophic humanitarian situation as the fighting escalated.
“The humanitarian community in Sudan is facing critical and intensifying operational challenges in North Darfur,” Clementine Nkweta-Salami, the UN’s Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator in Sudan, said on Sunday.
She added that “despite repeated appeals, humanitarian access to El-Fasher and surrounding areas remains dangerously restricted,” warning that the lack of access was increasing the vulnerability of hundreds of thousands of people.”
Medical charity Doctors Without Borders has called for aid airdrops into the city in the face of access restrictions.
