Israeli navy instructs Freedom Flotilla's Gaza bound ship to change its course
CAIRO: The Israeli navy is communicating with the Freedom Flotilla Coalition's Gaza-bound charity ship, the Madleen, instructing it to change its course as it approaches a restricted area, the Israeli foreign ministry said early on Monday.
The ministry referred to the ship as "selfie yacht" in a post on X.
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Al Arabiya
an hour ago
- Al Arabiya
Will Lebanon learn form al-Sharaa's government?
It's been about 150 days since Joseph Aoun and Nawaf Salam took office. On one hand, Lebanon is experiencing its best chapter in two decades. On the other hand, there are concerns about the slow pace of progress – and that another war is on the verge of erupting. Regardless of whether the fighters on both sides of the Litani River are preparing for a decisive battle – which is unlikely or not—the road is long before Lebanon can fully reclaim its sovereignty from both Israel and Hezbollah. Israeli forces still occupy Lebanese land, and Hezbollah has handed over only a fraction of its weapons – barely the tip of the iceberg. The repeated rhetoric in both presidents' speeches about the 'Israeli enemy' carries no real weight today, nor is it necessary in modern political discourse. The bitter truth, for some, is this: it is Israel – not the Lebanese authorities – that will determine the shape of Hezbollah's future. Israel will define its size, the limits of its capabilities, and its influence. Neighboring Syria is facing a similar situation, but has chosen a different approach. Bashar al-Assad's regime has collapsed, just like Hezbollah's grip has weakened, leaving behind a complex legacy to navigate with the region's 'superpower' neighbor. Israeli forces are also present on Syrian soil and continue to target Syrian sites frequently. Amid this complex situation, President Ahmed al-Sharaa's government has managed to turn crisis into opportunity – and has earned global praise not only for what it has done, but for what it has deliberately chosen not to do. It quickly abandoned the ostrich-head-in-the-sand approach of previous regimes, which had failed to address internal and external politics with realism. Al-Sharaa did not attack Israel in his speeches. He did not mobilize his forces or instruct his militias to clash or even respond to Israeli fire. Nor did he inflate government statements with false claims of confrontations and victories. In fact, he never even referred to Israel as 'the enemy,' nor did he reject mediation or negotiations with the 'evil' neighbor. He made it clear: his goal is to stabilize war-torn Syria – not destabilize those around it. Lebanon's president and prime minister come from elite circles – military and civilian alike. Salam is a graduate of the Sorbonne in France and Harvard in the US – arguably the most internationally qualified leader in Lebanese political history. In contrast, President al-Sharaa is a product of Hay'at Tahrir al-Sham and had seen nothing of the world before assuming power except what lay between Iraq's Anbar and Syria's Idlib. You don't need a magnifying glass to see that al-Sharaa has advanced Syria's recovery, securing deals with both friendly and hostile powers. He has neutralized threats from Israel, Iran, Iraqi factions, and US sanctions – through dialogue – and has lured foreign investors with contracts to build and operate airports, ports, energy facilities, and industrial projects. We recognize that the challenges in Beirut differ from those in Damascus. Nevertheless, Lebanon today has a rare opportunity – perhaps once in forty years – to end decades of foreign domination, from the Palestinians to the Syrians and now the Iranians. This moment demands flexibility and a new approach, unlike the rigid policies of the past. Looking at the two warring sides – Hezbollah and Israel – Hezbollah has only three possible futures. First: It could return as a cross-border regional force, threatening Israel, managing Yemen's Houthis, and operating in Syria and Iraq. But that now seems impossible given Israel's insistence on a policy of preempting any force that poses a border threat. Note that Egypt, Jordan, and Syria – under their treaties with Israel –agreed to regulate weapons types and distances from the border, something Hezbollah used to reject. Yet under the ceasefire agreement, it accepted withdrawal from south of the Litani River, surrendering heavy weapons, military production platforms, and dismantling its infrastructure. Second: Hezbollah could reposition itself as a purely local force. That would require acknowledging the shift in the balance of power and abandoning its role as a threat to Israel or as a bargaining chip for Iran. It may try to keep its weapons to maintain dominance in Lebanon. To counter that, Lebanese and Israeli authorities are cooperating – Israel provides Beirut with intelligence on hidden arms, and the Lebanese side carries out raids and seizures. But Hezbollah is skilled at the game of hiding – though the current environment is tougher than before. This time, there's no escape, even after sidelining US mediator Morgan Ortagus, whom Hezbollah and its allies portray as Netanyahu's puppet. The reality is: it's Israel – not the US – that now dictates Lebanon's course. This is underscored by the unprecedented scale of Israeli strikes on the southern suburbs – the first since the war's end. The Lebanese presidency has promised to restore full state sovereignty by disarming Hezbollah and ending Lebanon's role as a proxy warfront. So far, it hasn't succeeded. Without this, stability will remain fragile, and investment will stay limited. Lebanon's future over the next 10- or 20-years hinges on what happens in these very days – transforming the country from a militia playground into a sovereign state focused on its internal affairs and the needs of its citizens. This is exactly what al-Sharaa is doing in Syria – with courage and cunning – even though his circumstances are arguably far more difficult and dangerous than those faced by Lebanon's leadership. And it's false to claim that the world simply rushed to support al-Sharaa – not at all. He set his priorities clearly, forged his own alliances, and refused to be blackmailed by local or regional propaganda about 'jihad' or the 'enemy.' His task now is to fight remnants and separatists, repair the economy, and focus on building a state that's been collapsing since the end of the Cold War.
Asharq Al-Awsat
an hour ago
- Asharq Al-Awsat
Iran Says No Sanctions Relief in US Nuclear Proposal
Iran's parliament speaker said on Sunday that the latest US proposal for a nuclear deal does not include the lifting of sanctions, state media reported as negotiations appeared to have hit a roadblock. The two foes have held five rounds of Omani-mediated talks since April, seeking to replace a landmark agreement between Tehran and world powers that set restrictions on Iran's nuclear activities in return for sanctions relief, before US President Donald Trump abandoned the accord in 2018 during his first term, said AFP. In a video aired on Iranian state TV, parliament speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf said that "the US plan does not even mention the lifting of sanctions". He called it a sign of dishonesty, accusing the Americans of seeking to impose a "unilateral" agreement that Tehran would not accept. "The delusional US president should know better and change his approach if he is really looking for a deal," Ghalibaf said. On May 31, after the fifth round of talks, Iran said it had received "elements" of a US proposal, with officials later taking issue with "ambiguities" in the draft text. The US and its Western allies have long accused Iran of seeking to acquire nuclear weapons, a charge Iran has consistently denied, insisting that its atomic program was solely for peaceful purposes. Key issues in the negotiations have been the removal of biting economic sanctions and uranium enrichment. Tehran says it has the right to enrich uranium under the nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty, while the Trump administration has called any Iranian enrichment a "red line". Trump, who has revived his "maximum pressure" campaign of sanctions on Iran since taking office in January, has repeatedly said it will not be allowed any uranium enrichment under a potential deal. On Tuesday, Iran's top negotiator, Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, said the country "will not ask anyone for permission to continue enriching uranium". IAEA meeting According to the UN nuclear watchdog, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), Iran is the only non-nuclear-weapon state in the world that enriches uranium up to 60 percent -- close to the 90 percent threshold needed for a nuclear warhead. Iran's supreme leader Ali Khamenei on Wednesday rejected the latest US proposal and said enrichment was "key" to Iran's nuclear program. The IAEA Board of Governors is scheduled to meet in Vienna starting Monday and discuss Iran's nuclear activities. On Sunday the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran warned it could reduce its level of cooperation with the UN nuclear watchdog if it adopts a resolution against it. "Certainly, the IAEA should not expect the Islamic Republic of Iran to continue its broad and friendly cooperation," the Iranian agency's spokesman Behrouz Kamalvandi told state TV. Araghchi on Friday accused European powers of "opting for malign action against Iran at the IAEA Board of Governors", warning on X that "Iran will react strongly against any violation of its rights". A quarterly report from the IAEA issued last week cited a "general lack of cooperation" from Iran and raised concerns over undeclared nuclear material. Tehran has rejected the report as politically motivated and based on "forged documents" it said had been provided by its arch foe Israel.
Asharq Al-Awsat
2 hours ago
- Asharq Al-Awsat
Syria Says to be Relinked to SWIFT Payment System
Syria will be fully reconnected to the SWIFT international payment system "in a matter of weeks" after more than a decade of sanctions, central bank governor Abdelkader Husrieh told the Financial Times in an interview published on Monday. We 'aim to enhance the brand of the country as a financial hub given the expected foreign direct investment in rebuilding and infrastructure — this is crucial," Husrieh said. 'While significant progress has been made, there's still much work ahead.' Interim President Ahmed al-Sharaa received a major boost last month when US President Donald Trump unexpectedly lifted sanctions. While that was a welcome step, 'a full policy shift is still needed', said Husrieh, who began his new job in April. 'So far, we've only seen license issuance and selective sanctions removal. Implementation must be comprehensive, not ad hoc.' According to the Financial Times, Husrieh has been working with the finance ministry on 'a six to 12 month stabilization plan.' This involves reforming banking laws and the central bank, and overhauling social security and housing financing to encourage Syrians in the diaspora to invest in the country, among other initiatives. Husrieh wants to end the Assad regime's interventionist legacy, and restore lending capabilities, transparency and trust. 'The central bank previously micromanaged the financial system, over-regulated lending, and restricted deposit withdrawals,' he said. 'We aim to reform the sector through recapitalization, deregulation and by re-establishing their role as financial intermediaries between households and businesses.' SWIFT's return will help encourage foreign trade, cut import costs and facilitate exports, he said. It would also bring much-needed foreign currency into the country, strengthen anti-money laundering efforts and ease the dependence on informal financial networks for cross-border trade. 'The plan is for all foreign trade to now be routed through the formal banking sector,' Husrieh said, thereby eradicating the role of money changers who would charge 40 cents of every dollar that came into Syria. He said banks and the central bank have been assigned Swift codes, and the 'remaining step is for correspondent banks to resume processing transfers.' Foreign investment will also be shored up by guarantees, he said. While the public banking sector is already fully backed by the government, Husrieh is looking to establish a state institution to guarantee private banks' deposits.
