Appointed the new ministers of Nawaf Salam’s ‘Reform and Rescue’ government, Hezbollah should not be part of the cabinet, says US Envoy Ortagus from Baabda, sparking controversy, Israel resumes striking against Lebanon’s south and the Beqaa, 4 killed in explosion of Israeli booby-trapped furniture in Tayr Harfa, Airstrike hit south of Saida, Clashes continue to escalate with residents of northern Beqaa against HTS, urging the state to intervene against Syrian forces, At least six killed in Israeli strikes on Anti-Lebanon mountain range at Syrian border, Three years later, investigating judge Tarek Bitar resumes hearings on the Beirut port’s blast, Three Israeli hostages exchanged for 183 Palestinians as part of the truce agreement in Gaza, Khamenei meets with Hamas leaders, Israeli army demolishes homes in Jenin, continues raids across West Bank, Caesar, who leaked images of death tortures in Assad’s prisons, reveals identity on Al-Jazeera, Syria’s General Security Forces enter Kurdish Afrin, Two years has passed since February 6 devastating earthquake in southern Turkey and northern Syria, Concerns rise over US foreign aid suspension in the Middle East, Sudan army claims major advances against RSF in greater Khartoum
Lebanon is united under a new government. But ruling behind it, the pressure of the United States. What was whispered behind the scenes is now being said openly: on Friday, February 7, statements by Morgan Ortagus, deputy to the US President’s special Envoy for the Middle East, confirmed the profound transformations in US policy towards Lebanon and the region. Looking at Ortagus’ confidence while pronouncing her statements, it seems the Pax Americana’s long-feared era for Lebanon has officially started.
A star of David on her ring – a religious symbol that was easy to read as a provocation, as Ortagus, converted to Judaism after exploring the religion while living in Baghdad, did not wear it in her follow-up visit in Israel -, the opening declaration in front of a crowd of journalists, moments after the meeting with President Joseph Aoun at the presidential palace in Baabda: “Hezbollah was defeated by Israel. And we are grateful to our ally, Israel, for defeating them.” Indeed, it’s one of the few times an American official has spoken so directly and bluntly: yet reflecting an approach that President Trump proved to have already engaged in, calling for the Americanization of the Gaza Strip after the conclusion of fighting.
Asked about the US stance on Hezbollah’s potential inclusion in the upcoming Lebanese government, Ortagus said: “I am certainly not afraid of Hezbollah. I am not afraid of them because they have been defeated militarily. We have set clear red lines in the US, and they will not be able to terrorize the Lebanese people, and that includes by being part of the government. The end of Hezbollah’s reign of terror in Lebanon and around the world has started, and it is over,” she continued, a day prior to the nomination of Lebanon’s new government ministers – from which the Iran-backed party has appeared increasingly sidelined. This implied a complete overhaul of the distribution of portfolios within the government, so as not to reinforce customs that could hinder – as they extensively did – its formation and activity, including those related to the blocking third or the Shiite community’s hold on Finance.
Yet it is worth emphasising that, beyond the discontent expressed by Hezbollah supported following Ortagus’ statements – who gathered in mass outside Beirut’s Rafic Hariri International Airport for a sit-in to protest her remarks – what is at stake is not Hezbollah as a party, militia or social milieu; nor as representative of a community that has lost trust in state institutions – and which constitutes almost a third of the Lebanese population; not, even, is it the structural vacuum left after Nasrallah’s assassination – whose funeral will soon be celebrated: but rather the remnants of formal Lebanese democracy and its mechanisms of representation, its sovereignty.
Ortagus emphasized that Washington “is committed to its partnership” with Lebanon and holds “great hopes” for the future, due to the rise to power of “credible and committed men who will ensure the end of corruption, as well as Hezbollah’s influence.” Despite the disarmament of the Iran-backed party remaining a vital objective for this government’s success – and for the trust of foreign powers, to allow a momentum for a possible economic rebirth of the crisis-torn country – such a provocation threatens to furtherly polarize the Lebanese society, with the risk not only of growing civil tensions, but also of the ultimate collapse of the country’s independence – whose political rules would end up being written elsewhere, in Washington DC: about 9,350 kilometers afar.
In concrete terms, a common scenario for Lebanon – that of foreign powers exercising influence over its potentials – is about to be performed again: yet in front of a more tired, crestfallen population. The American visit and its implications are reminiscent of those made by emissaries from the Quintet countries – namely the United States, France, Saudi Arabia, Qatar and Egypt – before the election of Joseph Aoun. A similar scenery clearly unfolded with government formation, with the US pressuring Amal-Hezbollah to drop their demand for a fifth Shiite minister – avoiding, in this way, the possibility of yet another government’s paralysis. On the other hand, making any form of Hezbollah’s participation, even indirect, deemed unacceptable, would have pushed the party into a dangerous political confrontation. So the ‘light’ form was chosen: two ministers – Rakan Nasreddine at the Public Health, and Mohammad Haidar as Minister of Labour – have been appointed, with other two backed by the Amal Movement: Yassine Jaber as Minister of Finance, and Tamara el-Zein as that of Environment. And it occurred despite the US setting a red line against Hezbollah’s participation in the Lebanese cabinet, no matter what form.
What is clear is that with shifts in US policy, Lebanon’s new government must make critical decisions on political, financial, and security matters, particularly regarding arms. While international actors are demanding assurances that no faction can obstruct governance, Hezbollah and Amal are seeking guarantees that decisions won’t undermine their strategic interests, especially in the south. The ‘Rescue and Reform’ government of Nawaf Salam, on its hand, sticks to the main roles of implementing UN resolution 1701 – thus completing the disarmament of Hezbollah and its withdrawal from the imaginary border of the Litani River – of and organizing legislative elections: both perceivable as efforts to politically neutralize Hezbollah and its ally, following its military setbacks.
In this context, Lebanon is receiving clear warnings to take concrete steps in dismantling the Shiite party’s positions; otherwise, Israel will intervene directly. This was the message conveyed by the American envoy, who emphasized in her meetings that Hezbollah’s locations are well-documented and must be dealt with – whether in the south, the north, or along the Litani River, where US intelligence suggests numerous missile storage sites remain concealed. In such scenario, even though from Baabda palace fresh-perceived politicians continue to assure that the withdrawal of Israeli troops from Lebanese territory will take place on February 18, and no later, new bombs continue to destroy houses, villages, and scatter families: and the idea that fifteen months of war, four thousand dead, hundreds of thousands of displaced people have been completely useless – and that, despite the call for unity, state and institutions, the stalemate in which Lebanon found itself may not have been broken at all – becomes increasingly true.
In Lebanon
Clashes in north Beqaa: Several people have been injured since Thursday, February 6, in Qanafed, a locality at the Lebanese-Syrian border, following the entry of the new Syrian security forces, formerly Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham (HTS). For three days in a row, the deployment of these Syrian forces near Qanafed has spurred mobilization among Lebanese clans in the region, and families from Hermel – mainly supporters of Hezbollah – calling to “defend their territories.” Among the injured, two are from the Jaafar family and another belongs to the Rashini family.
Incidents have multiplied along the border area located in northern Hermel, raising the fundamental question of the implementation of Resolution 1701, the disarmament of all armed groups, as well as the protection of Lebanese sovereignty within its borders: all of them. On Thursday, an incident between the new security forces of Damascus and Lebanese from the Zaiter and Jaafar clans, in border villages in Syria inhabited by Lebanese, had escalated increasingly throughout the day, resulting in at least two deaths. In the evening, information from local correspondents reported the release of several Syrian security forces agents who had been abducted by Lebanese clans. Later on Friday, four other people were injured by Syrian artillery fire on the border village of Jarmash. Two rockets, fired from Syrian territory, successively fell on the outskirts of the Lebanese village Kouwakh, in the Hermel district.
People were kidnapped by both sides, including two HTS soldiers kidnapped by Lebanese clans in Hawik, and 16 women and children taken by HTS from a neighboring village, The New Arab reported, citing the Syrian national news agency SANA. It’s unclear when the kidnapping took place, but the captives were exchanged on Thursday.
On Friday, three Lebanese were killed, and 10 injured, and one member of the new Syrian forces was killed. The deployment of Syrian forces over the border in Lebanon near the village of Qanafez spurred mobilization among Lebanese clans in the region, and families from Hermel, calling to “defend their territories.”
Facing the escalation, the families, clans and residents of northern Beqaa have urged the state to intervene with interim Syrian President Ahmad al-Sharaa to protect Lebanon’s sovereignty and defuse tensions. They denounced a “total and unjustified abandonment” by the authorities, stating they have no choice but to “defend Lebanon and their lands” themselves.
Amid this extreme tension at the border, on Saturday the Lebanese Army began deploying in Wadi Feisan, the area where the clashes are taking place, and has called for reinforcements.
Reform and Rescue: After nearly a month of intense negotiations, Lebanon has a new government. The anticipation began on Wednesday evening, when Prime Minister-designate Nawaf Salam first brought a copy of his draft list of ministers to Baabda Palace, only to leave half an hour later saying: “Some issues still need to be resolved.”
Again on Thursday, Salam visited Baabda, this time meeting with both President Joseph Aoun and Speaker of Parliament Nabih Berri. The delay was reportedly due to a last-minute dispute over the identity of the fifth Shiite minister – in the position of Administrative Development -, whom Hezbollah and Amal were intent on naming themselves, while Aoun and Salam pushed back, having already allowed the two parties to choose the other four ministers. The trick, however, was to find a compromise that would prevent the Shiite ministers from collectively resigning and paralyzing the government.
At the same time, Washington appeared to be increasing pressure on Lebanese authorities to keep Hezbollah out of the Cabinet or at least weaken its influence as much as possible.
Between the criteria established by Salam and the quotas required by the various political formations, there were many disagreements regarding the distribution of the ministerial portfolios, particularly the Ministry of Finance.
Finally, after several reportedly intense back-and-forths, Salam entered Baabda on Saturday and came out with the announcement of a new government, revealing a list of figures from across the political spectrum, from the Lebanese Forces to Amal and Hezbollah to independents. As Vice President of the Council of Ministers, Tripolitan Tarek Mitri; as Minister of Finance, Amal-backed Yassin Jaber; in the position of Minister of Culture, Ghassan Salame, a renowned geopolitician and professor at Sorbonne University and Sciences-Po Paris; General Ahmad Hajjar as Minister of Interior; Lebanese Forces’ Joe Rajji in quality of Minister of Foreign Affairs; as Minister of Environment, from the Amal movement’s quota, Tamara Elzein; Brigadier General Michel Menassa at the Ministry of Defense; at the Ministry of Economy, Amer Bsat, from the National Moderation parliamentary bloc; as Minister of Tourism, Laura al-Khazen Lahoud; as Minister of Education, Rima Karame; as Minister of Energy and Water, businessman Joe Saddi; as Minister of Social Affairs, economist Hanine Sayye; as Minister of Public Works and Transport, Fayez Rassamny; Joe Issa al-Khoury at the Ministry of Industry; Nizar Hani in that of Agricolture; Nora Bairakdarian as Minister of Youth and Sports; Charles al-Hajj as Minister of Telecommunications; as Minister of the Displaced and Minister of State for Information Technology and Artificial Intelligence, Lebanese Forces’ Kamal Shehadeh; as Minister of Labor, Hezbollah-backed Mohammad Haidar; at the Ministry of Health, Rakan Nasreddine, also part of Hezbollah’s quota; as Minister of Information, Paul Morcos; as Minister of Administrative Development, Fadi Makki; and last, as Minister of Justice, Adel Nassar.
Some of the ministers have been ministers before, but notably, none of the 23 new ministers, which with Salam make up the 24-seat Cabinet, were part of outgoing Prime Minister Najib Mikati’s cabinet. This move means the Free Patriotic Movement is moving into the position of opposition, having been the most represented party under Mikati, with five portfolios.
Israel resumes striking: Notably, the new American Envoy arrived in Beirut as Israel resumed striking against several regions of the south and Beqaa, even north of the Litani. These extended attacks cannot be separated from the context of political pressure, alongside military and security pressure.
Although the American official reiterated the United States’ commitment to supporting the planned Israeli withdrawal from south Lebanon on February 18, this remains uncertain. Indeed, Ortagus’ predecessor, Amos Hochstein, had also stated that Israel would withdraw from south Lebanon before the first deadline, set for January 27, which did not happen. Leaks suggest the possibility of extending the Israeli military presence in the south, with a partial withdrawal from some areas while retaining strategic positions overlooking several regions.
Last week, Israel launched a series of air strikes on the Beqaa Valley, killing at least two people and wounding ten, according to Lebanon’s Health Ministry – marking a further breach of a fragile ceasefire agreement. The Israeli military claimed that it struck “multiple Hezbollah targets” near the Syrian border, including “underground infrastructure used to develop and manufacture weaponry” and sites allegedly used for arms smuggling into Lebanon. A member of the Lebanese parliament, on behalf of Hezbollah, Ibrahim Al-Moussawi, condemned the strikes, calling them “a very dangerous violation and a blatant and explicit aggression” and urging Lebanon to take action against Israel’s continued attacks.
In the night between Thursday and Friday, then, the Israeli army announced it had struck “two military sites containing Hezbollah weapons” in Lebanon, claiming they violated the ceasefire agreement. In a statement released on X, the army added it “continues operating to eliminate any threat against the State of Israel.” By around 11 pm, at least one Israeli strike hit a valley in the Nabatieh district, according to local media, while the Israeli air force conducted four strikes in the Baalbek-Hermel district, near the Syrian border. The airstrikes primarily targeted the Nabi Sheet area, Janta and the Anti-Lebanon mountains.
The Israeli army has struck the Lebanese-Syria border several times since November 27, when the ceasefire that ended 11 months of cross border attacks and an additional two months of all out war came into effect. Since then, Israel faces accusations of more than 800 violations, including airstrikes, shelling, gunfire, demolitions, and the killing of more than 50 people, including more than 20 civilians at point-blank range.
Ongoing occupation: The Israeli military continues to occupy several villages in southern Lebanon, from which it is required to withdraw by February 18, 2025, in line with the extended ceasefire agreement. Meanwhile, it continues to destroy houses and infrastructure in areas it still occupies and carries out sporadic strikes across the region, often using drones – while the Lebanese Army continues to deploy and reinforce its units in accordance with the ceasefire terms.
On Friday, February 7, four people, including two children – girls aged seven and eight – were killed in Tayr Harfa, in the district of Tyre, when furniture rigged with explosives left by the Israeli army detonated. The explosion was caused by a mine placed inside an armchair, and the device had been planted during the Israeli military’s occupation of the area.
Several municipalities in the western and central sectors of the border region in southern Lebanon have advised residents, journalists, media personnel and visitors to remain vigilant about the landmines left behind by the Israeli army, some of which have been booby-trapped to target civilians, the state-run National News Agency (NNA) reported Saturday.
Investigations resumed: The lead investigating judge at the Court of Justice, Tarek Bitar, who is overseeing the case of the August 4, 2020, Beirut port explosions, made a breakthrough on Friday after nearly three years of deadlock. His investigation had been stalled by repeated abusive appeals from political figures implicated in the case, aimed at stripping him of his authority since his appointment in 2021.
In January 2023, former prosecutor Ghassan Oweidat accused Bitar of usurping power after his decision to refuse to submit to these appeals. Bitar had based his stance on a legal precedent stating that an investigating judge at the Court of Justice can only be removed by ministerial, not judicial, means. With the judicial police barred from assisting him – following a directive from Oweidat prohibiting cooperation – Bitar turned to civil bailiffs to serve summonses for hearings.
On Friday, five individuals recently charged by Bitar appeared before him, either in person or through legal representatives: three port officials, a customs officer and the manager of a company responsible for maintenance and security at Hangar 12, where the ammonium nitrate that fueled the explosions was stored. Notably, none of them resorted to the kind of procedural appeals that have repeatedly stalled both this case and other high-profile political and financial investigations in Lebanon. The Ukrainian owner of Savaro, the company that imported the ammonium nitrate, Vladimir Verbonol, did not appear for questioning. With his whereabouts unknown, he was summoned by notice posted at the Beirut Justice Palace.
Upcoming hearings are scheduled for Tuesday, February 11, for Assaad Toufayli and Gracia Azzi, respectively the former president and a member of the Higher Customs Council. Also set to appear are Raymond Khoury, the current director general of customs, and Adel Francis, a customs officer. On February 18, three officers from General Security – Najm Ahmadiyeh, Mohammad Hassan Moukalled, and Mounah Sawaya – will be interviewed.
In The Region
A slow death: The Gaza Health Ministry reported a new death toll of at least 48,181 people in the Palestinian territory during the genocide carried out by Israel, and 11,638 injured. Despite a fragile ceasefire taking effect on January 19, the death toll reported by Gaza’s Ministry of Health continues to rise as bodies found under the rubble are identified or as people die from their injuries.
In the 48 hours between Friday and Saturday, 26 additional deaths were recorded, with the Ministry estimating the number of war casualties at 111,638. Over 570 names were added to the list of the deceased in 48 hours after being “approved by the committee” investigating the “missing persons” and cross-referencing the information.
Prisoners exchange: Israel and Hamas were set to carry out the fifth exchange of hostages for Palestinian detainees as part of the ceasefire agreement in Gaza, with three Israelis and 183 Palestinians to be released. Uncertainty had initially surrounded the operation following the shockwave caused by US President Donald Trump’s proposal for an American takeover of Gaza, but those doubts were dispelled on Friday night.
A bus from the ICRC arrived on Saturday, February 8, in Ramallah, in the occupied West Bank, carrying Palestinian detainees released from Israeli prisons as part of the Gaza truce deal, according to Al Jazeera. A large crowd surrounded the bus, cheering as the prisoners stepped off one by one.
The Palestinian Prisoners Club, an NGO handling the matter, specified that among the 183 Palestinians to be released were “18 serving life sentences, 54 sentenced to lengthy prison terms, and 111 arrested in Gaza after October 7,” the NGO detailed.
So far, 21 Israelis and 566 Palestinian prisoners have been freed since the ceasefire began on January 19. By the end of the first stage of the ceasefire in three weeks’ time, 33 Israelis and 1,900 Palestinians are expected to have been freed, although Israel says eight of the 33 are dead.
Towards the next phase: Meanwhile, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has dispatched a delegation to Doha for the next phase of ceasefire talks, Israeli media reported. However, AFP has also reported on a statement from Netanyahu, in which he says, “we will eliminate Hamas and bring back our hostages.”
Eliminating Hamas has long been Israel’s primary goal in its devastating war against Gaza, but Hamas’ resurfacing during the facilitation of the hostage exchange during this last month of ceasefire appears to be a testament to Israel’s failure to carry out this goal.
Khamenei meets Hamas: Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, met in Tehran with Hamas’s interim leader, Khalil Hayyeh, along with two other senior officials of the Palestinian movement, according to Iran’s official news agency, as reported by Reuters. No details were provided on the content of the meeting, but photos were published showing Khamenei alongside Khalil Hayyeh, Mohammad Darwich, head of Hamas’ leadership council, and Nizar Awadallah, a senior Hamas official, the news agency added.
Escalating violence in the West Bank: The Israeli army has demolished several Palestinian homes in the Jenin refugee camp as it continues the deadly raids across the occupied West Bank that it launched on January 21. Explosions echoed throughout the camp overnight as Israeli forces demolished the civilian homes, Wafa, the official Palestinian news agency, reported on Friday. Witnesses said Israeli forces reinforced their presence around the camp and conducted intensive drone surveillance.
The army also continues to besiege Jenin Governmental Hospital, having bulldozed the main entrance and the main road leading to it earlier in its raids. Earlier this week, it carried out the demolition of residential blocks in Jenin for the first time since 2002, as reported by Jenin Governor Kamal Abu al-Rub.
The Israeli military offensive, which launched two days after a ceasefire was agreed in Gaza, has targeted Jenin city, its refugee camp and surrounding towns, killing 25 Palestinians, according to the Palestinian Ministry of Health. Nearly 90 percent of the camp’s population has been forcibly displaced with many seeking refuge in 39 villages and towns across Jenin governorate.
Israeli forces also stormed several areas in the Ramallah governorate and assaulted and detained two Palestinians in the Old City of Hebron as they were distributing bread.
In Beita, south of Nablus, Israeli forces assaulted ambulance crews during a raid, wounding a paramedic, according to the Palestine Red Crescent Society. Israeli soldiers fired stun grenades directly at the ambulance, damaging the vehicle as it was responding to an emergency, it said.
For the 12th consecutive day, Israeli forces also continued their wide-scale military assault on Tulkarem city and its refugee camp in the western West Bank, causing extensive damage to infrastructure and civilian property. Over the past few days, the Israeli army has arrested dozens of Palestinians, forced hundreds of families to flee their homes and killed four Palestinians, including a child and a journalist. Israeli forces have also turned Palestinian homes in Tulkarem and its camp into military outposts after evicting their residents. Tulkarem Governor Abdullah Kamil confirmed in a statement that 85 percent of the camp’s population had been displaced due to the Israeli military assault.
Moreover, in the northern West Bank, the Israeli army continued its offensive in Tammun and the Far’a refugee camp in Tubas governorate. Israeli forces have been conducting house-to-house searches in Tammun under the cover of air strikes with drone attacks targeting various locations in the town.
So far, Israeli raids have forcibly displaced 26,000 Palestinians in the occupied West Bank, Al-Jazeera reported. In what’s being called the ‘Gazafication’ of the West Bank, since January at least 70 Palestinians have been killed – 38 of whom in Jenin alone.
Caesar’s identity revealed: “Caesar”, the former military police officer who leaked thousands of photos of detainees killed under torture in Assad’s prisons, revealed his true identity on Thursday, February 6, in an interview with Al-Jazeera. First Assistant Farid al-Madhan, who headed the Criminal Evidence Section in the Military Police, managed to smuggle out images and evidence documenting the deaths of thousands of detainees in regime prisons until 2014.
Al-Madhan had previously participated in meetings with members of the US Congress to expose the crimes of the Syrian regime, helping pass the Caesar Act, which sanctioned Assad and his inner circle.
In 2014, he leaked 55,000 pictures of thousands of people tortured and killed in detention centers since March 2011 for their role in the Syrian revolution.
Entering Afrin: Video footage from Afrin on Thursday showed General Security Forces from the new Damascus administration entering the city, welcomed by Kurdish residents. Afrin’s Kurdish population has endured human rights violations under Turkey-backed National Army factions since 2018. The arrival of General Security Forces was seen as a step toward ending these violations.
At the same time, as tensions in the north-east continue to escalate due to Turkey’s ongoing attacks – aimed at ensuring a strong presence on the Kurdish-majority territory – the Turkish Defense Ministry official said it is “too early” to discuss the establishment of air bases in Syria, stressing the focus remains on “stability and countering terrorism” in the north. Reports suggested Turkey planned a defense treaty and two air bases in central Syria before Ahmed al-Sharaa’s visit to Ankara, but officials did not confirm this.
Remembering the earthquake: Exactly two years ago, at dawn on February 6, 2023, a devastating earthquake struck northern Syria and southern Turkey. The disaster unfolded with two powerful tremors – one measuring 7.8 on the Richter scale, followed by another at 7.6 – causing widespread destruction and loss of life. Its effects are still deeply felt in both countries today.
In Syria, more than 6,000 people lost their lives, and over 10,400 others sustained injuries. The earthquake devastated vast areas in northwest Syria, including the governorates of Aleppo, Idlib, Hama, Latakia, and Tartous. The World Bank estimated Syria’s economic losses at 5.1 billion dollars. Despite the dire humanitarian need, the ruling regime obstructed aid delivery to affected areas beyond its control, exacerbating the crisis. The death toll in these regions alone exceeded 4,500.
In Turkey, the earthquake claimed over 50,000 lives, including approximately 6,800 foreigners – many of them Syrian refugees in the southern border provinces. The disaster leveled 38,000 buildings and severely damaged more than 200,000 others, impacting 11 Turkish provinces: Kahramanmaraş, Adana, Gaziantep, Malatya, Adıyaman, Diyarbakır, Elazığ, Şanlıurfa, Kilis, Hatay, and Osmaniye.
Impacting the region: On January 20, 2025, President Donald Trump signed Executive Order 14169, initiating a 90-day halt to all US foreign development assistance to conduct a comprehensive review. This suspension affects a wide range of programs across the region, with only emergency food aid and military assistance to Israel and Egypt exempted.
In northeastern Syria, Kurdish officials have expressed deep concerns that the cessation of US aid could lead to a resurgence of the Islamic State (IS). The suspension threatens essential services in detention camps like al-Hol and al-Roj, which house tens of thousands of detainees, including suspected IS members and their families. The withdrawal of aid workers has already caused panic among detainees, and the lack of support could create conditions conducive to the spread of extremist ideologies and potential recruitment by IS.
Lebanon, which has historically received US military financing, is also affected by the aid suspension. The Lebanese Armed Forces rely on US assistance to maintain stability and counteract threats in the region: the halt in aid could undermine these efforts, potentially leading to increased instability within the country.
But the suspension of aid extends to various humanitarian and development programs throughout the region, especially in Palestine, where critical initiatives related to health services, education, water, sanitation, and support for civil society organizations are at risk.
UNRWA funding cut: The suspension has led to the halting of various humanitarian aid programs in the West Bank and Gaza Strip. In addition to the general suspension, President Trump is expected to sign an executive order to cut US funding for the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA), citing alleged ties with Hamas. The US had contributed 154 million dollars to UNRWA in 2023. This move could significantly impact the agency’s ability to provide services to Palestinian refugees.
Moreover, the administration’s plan to dismantle the US Agency for International Development (USAID) further complicates the delivery of foreign aid. USAID has been instrumental in providing humanitarian and development assistance in the Palestinian territories. Its dissolution could lead to the suspension of essential services and aid to conflict zones like Gaza, risking lives.
Sudan’s Army advances in Khartoum: Sudan’s military says it has regained control of nearly all of Khartoum North as it intensified its offensive aimed at reclaiming full control of the capital from the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF). The army, at war with the RSF since April 2023, has in recent weeks won back large swaths of the capital and its surrounding areas from the paramilitaries.
With the new advances, the army has secured all cities and towns in Gezira State, except for Giad in the north and surrounding villages located 50 km north of Khartoum. The developments mark one of the army’s most significant advances since the war broke out between army chief Abdel Fattah al-Burhan and his former ally Daglo’s RSF, which quickly seized much of Khartoum and other strategic areas.
However, as fighting rages on in the capital, Amnesty International raised concerns about potential reprisals in areas recently recaptured by the army. The rights group cited reports of the circulation of lists targeting activists, human rights defenders, and medical and humanitarian workers, accused of being “partners of the RSF.”
In south Belt, a neighborhood in Khartoum, the RSF on Saturday detained two members of a local volunteering rescue group at gunpoint from Bashair Hospital – the last partially functioning facility in the area, the group said in a statement. On Thursday, the RSF had also reportedly detained the manager of Bashair Hospital, as well as the head of a soup kitchen and a volunteer, according to local rescuers. Last week, the UN human rights office documented at least 18 civilian deaths in north Khartoum since the army began its advance there in late January.
What We’re Reading
The musical chairs’ game: Lebanon’s cabinet formation process, centered on sectarian power-sharing and entrenched political interests, continues to obstruct reforms, undermine governance, and fuel public frustration. An analysis by economist Maan Barazy.
Seeds of resilience: Lebanon’s agricultural sector has been particularly hard-hit, with Israeli bombardment devastating farmlands in the South and the Beqaa, slashing production by more than half – Rodayna Raydan reported.
On the bangs of Lebanon’s Jews disappearance: A historical insight into Joseph Tarab’s departure beyond religion and encounter, for NOW Lebanon.
A test, not a victory: According to political psychologist Ramzi Abou Islamil, Lebanon still does not have a government, but the negotiations surrounding its formation tell us everything we need to know about the challenges ahead.
Pushing the imaginary line: Residents of the border village of Aitaroun walk back to a destroyed, liberated land, Valeria Rando wrote.
Lebanon +
The Makdisi brothers, hosts of the podcast Makdisi Street, welcomed Aslı Bâli, Professor of Law at Yale Law School and President of the Middle East Studies Association. They discussed the increasingly repressive academic climate in the United States over the question of Palestine led by private sector as well as the current Trump Administration, how anti-Palestinian racism is used as a wedge issue in contemporary culture wars, how Zionist and rightwing organizations seek to criminalize dissent by claiming that it is discriminatory, and then how this politics is connected to the increasingly repressive Pax Americana in the Middle East itself. Finally, they discuss the stakes of fighting for international law and human rights, and the minimum duty of solidarity with Palestinians incumbent upon ethical scholars committed to justice.
