logo
Israel's Dermer to meet Syrian FM, US envoy Barrack in Paris to discuss southern Syria

Israel's Dermer to meet Syrian FM, US envoy Barrack in Paris to discuss southern Syria

Yahoo4 days ago
Dermer will also discuss the upcoming Iranian nuclear negotiations with European officials, ahead of the talks between European nations and Iran that will take place in Istanbul.
Strategic Affairs Minister Ron Dermer will meet US Special Envoy to Syria Tom Barrack and Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shaibani in Paris on Thursday to discuss security matters relating to southern Syria, sources told The Jerusalem Post.
Following the eruption of fighting between Druze and local Bedouin tribes in the city of Sweida in southern Syria, Israel struck Damascus and government forces operating alongside the Bedouins in an effort to protect the Druze minority in southern Syria.
Notably, a US citizen was killed during the clashes between Druze and Bedouin militias in Sweida, the State Department confirmed last week.
Dermer will also discuss the upcoming Iranian nuclear negotiations with European officials, ahead of the talks between European nations and Iran, which are scheduled to take place in Istanbul on Friday, sources told the Post.
Senior diplomats from France and Germany will hold direct face-to-face talks with Iran since Israel and the United States struck Iran's nuclear facilities in June.
US President Donald Trump's lifting of sanctions on Syria and the international community's cautious support of the new regime are at risk due to Syria's current conflict, which has undermined the government's authority, Barrack said on Sunday.
Barrack: Sharaa must 'recalibrate his policies'
On Tuesday, Barrack urged Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa to recalibrate his policies and embrace a more inclusive approach after a new round of sectarian bloodshed earlier in July, or risk losing international support and fragmenting the country.
Barrack said he had advised Sharaa in private discussions to revisit elements of the pre-war army structure, scale back Islamist indoctrination, and seek regional security assistance.
Solve the daily Crossword
Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

New legal action launched against Syria's Assad after French court ruling
New legal action launched against Syria's Assad after French court ruling

Yahoo

time8 hours ago

  • Yahoo

New legal action launched against Syria's Assad after French court ruling

New legal proceedings have been set in motion against Syria's former president Bashar al-Assad, after France's top court cleared the way for prosecution now that he no longer holds office. French prosecutors have asked magistrates to issue a new arrest warrant for Syria's former president Bashar al-Assad over a deadly 2013 chemical attack, following the annulment of a previous warrant due to presidential immunity. The move comes after France's top court, the Court of Cassation, last Friday quashed a 2023 warrant targeting Assad while he was still in power. The court ruled that heads of state are protected by personal immunity – even in cases involving alleged war crimes or crimes against humanity. However, the court's president, Christophe Soulard, said that since Assad was toppled by Islamist-led fighters in December 2024, fresh arrest warrants may now be issued, and the investigation can proceed. France's highest court to rule on arrest warrant for ex-Syrian president Assad French authorities have been investigating the sarin gas attacks on Adra and Douma, near Damascus, which took place on 4 to 5 August 2013. More than 1,000 people were killed, according to US intelligence. Assad is accused of complicity in war crimes and crimes against humanity for his role in the command structure behind the attack. On Friday, the National Anti-Terror Prosecutor's Office confirmed it had requested 'the issuing and international dissemination' of a new warrant against Assad. Assad and his family fled to Russia following his ouster, according to Russian officials. Setback for accountability The Court of Cassation's ruling on Friday has drawn criticism from human rights advocates who had hoped the court would set a precedent by lifting immunity in the face of grave international crimes. 'This ruling represents a setback for the global fight against impunity for the most serious crimes under international law,' said Mazen Darwish, head of the Syrian Centre for Media and Freedom of Expression, which is a civil party in the case. Still, the court did uphold indictments in related cases under the principle of universal jurisdiction, which allows French courts to prosecute serious international crimes committed abroad. In particular, the court backed legal action against former Syrian central bank governor Adib Mayaleh, accused of funding the Assad regime during the conflict. Mayaleh, a naturalised French citizen, is charged with complicity in war crimes and crimes against humanity. Darwish welcomed this element of the ruling as a 'great victory,' stating it reinforces that no foreign official can hide behind immunity in cases of international crimes. France's top court annuls arrest warrant against Syria's Assad Broader legal efforts The French inquiry into the 2013 attack is based on testimonies from survivors, defectors, and extensive photographic and video evidence. Arrest warrants have previously been issued for Assad, his brother Maher – commander of an elite military unit – and two generals. In January, French magistrates issued a separate arrest warrant against Assad over a 2017 bombing in Deraa that killed a French-Syrian civilian. Syria's civil war, triggered by a brutal crackdown on anti-Assad protests in 2011, has left over half a million people dead and displaced millions. Assad's fall marked the end of his family's five-decade rule.

Lebanon can't get past talk of Hezbollah disarmament
Lebanon can't get past talk of Hezbollah disarmament

Yahoo

time19 hours ago

  • Yahoo

Lebanon can't get past talk of Hezbollah disarmament

"The government and Hezbollah need to fully commit and act now in order to not consign the Lebanese people to the stumbling status quo," Barrack wrote. US Envoy Tom Barrack is back in Turkey after a recent trip to the region. He had been in Lebanon recently where he held discussions about what may come next in the country. Barrack is the US ambassador to Turkey and its envoy to Syria. He has also been involved in US policy on Lebanon. However, Beirut seems to be talking more about disarming Hezbollah than actually collecting arms. Pro-Hezbollah networks realize this, and so do those in the region who would prefer to see the terrorist group disarmed. Barrack wrote on July 26 that 'the credibility of Lebanon's government rests on its ability to match principle with practice. As its leaders have said repeatedly, it is critical that 'the state has a monopoly on arms.' As long as Hezbollah retains arms, words will not suffice. The government and Hezbollah need to fully commit and act now in order to not consign the Lebanese people to the stumbling status quo.' Pro-Hezbollah groups view statement as a warning The pro-Hezbollah al-Akhbar media outlet in Lebanon has reflected on these new comments. Barrack was seen as conciliatory in the past but now some pro-Hezbollah voices wonder if he is tiring of the prevarications in Beirut. 'Barracks stance was a warning,' Al-Akhbar said on July 28. It is also linked to a local media campaign, it claims. 'These same outlets have been leaking pessimistic sentiments since the US envoy's departure, speaking of 'the US not being convinced by the latest Lebanese response, or even the position conveyed by Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri,' promoting the idea that 'Lebanon has entered a dangerous orbit and is only a few steps away from an escalation by Israel to implement what the Lebanese state has not done.'' Now, the Lebanese prime minister appears to be reaching out to Nabir Berri, an old Lebanese politician and a Shi'ite. By tradition, a Shi'ite is speaker of the parliament in Lebanon, while a Sunni is prime minister and a Christian is president. Berri is often put in the position of sitting between the government and Hezbollah, playing both sides. Thus, a proposal has been conveyed to Berri by the prime minister, calling for a special cabinet session to discuss the issue of Hezbollah's arms. The phrasing of the report is general, speaking about arms in general and 'Lebanon's commitment to implementing the decision to monopolize arms possession by the state.' This is code for supposedly bringing in the arms of Hezbollah. The pro-Hezbollah media seems concerned that the US might support withdrawing UNIFIL from southern Lebanon and that Washington might escalate pressure. Barrack had appeared to say that the US would not use a stick, but rather more carrots to influence Lebanon. It appears Hezbollah is concerned that the stick may be coming. Asharq al-Awsat reported this weekend that talks with Hezbollah are going slowly. 'Lebanese President Joseph Aoun acknowledged on Friday that negotiations with Hezbollah over its weapons are ongoing, though progressing slowly,' the report said. 'Speaking amid heightened tensions along the southern border with Israel, Aoun emphasized that dialogue is being conducted directly with Hezbollah, not through a formal security committee, and expressed cautious optimism over a gradual breakthrough.' Aoun added that 'there is some responsiveness to the ideas we're discussing, even if things are moving at a slow pace.' Solve the daily Crossword

Telegram's Durov questioned in France over alleged illegal content on app
Telegram's Durov questioned in France over alleged illegal content on app

Yahoo

time19 hours ago

  • Yahoo

Telegram's Durov questioned in France over alleged illegal content on app

Telegram founder Pavel Durov faced questioning by investigating magistrates in Paris on Monday about the platform's alleged complicity in criminal activity, sources close to the case said. Durov, 40, was sensationally detained in Paris in 2024 and is under formal investigation by French authorities over illegal content on his popular messaging service. Arriving at the Paris courthouse on Monday morning with four of his lawyers, the Russian-born entrepreneur faced his third round of questioning since being charged with multiple infractions linked to enabling organised crime. Durov, who holds French and Russian passports, has been accused of complicity in running an online platform that allowed illicit transactions, child sex abuse images and other illegal content. Durov has denied the claims, and his lawyers said in a statement that Monday's full-day session allowed Durov "to provide additional explanations demonstrating the inanity of the facts that are the subject of the investigation". In his initial questioning in December 2024, Durov denied creating Telegram for illicit use but acknowledged a growing criminal presence on the platform, and pledged to strengthen moderation. French judicial authorities have noted an improvement in cooperation with Telegram since Durov's arrest, sources involved in organised crime cases told AFP. Durov, who was initially banned from leaving France, had his judicial control relaxed from early July, allowing him to reside in the United Arab Emirates for a maximum of two weeks at a time. Durov's lawyers have filed motions to dismiss the charges with the Paris Appeals Court, according to a source close to the case. "We firmly contest the legality of our client's indictment and that of the numerous investigative acts carried out in defiance of domestic and European law," his lawyers said in their statement Monday. The lawyers have also filed a legal challenge in France to test the constitutionality of the case, along with a request for a preliminary ruling from the European Union's top court, according to the same source. bur-mk/ekf/ah/js/gv/sbk

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into a world of global content with local flavor? Download Daily8 app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store