UN commission finds violence against Syria Alawites likely included 'war crimes'
A U.N. commission investigating sectarian bloodshed in Syria's Alawite heartland documented systematic violence at the hands of government forces and their allies, warning some of the acts could constitute war crimes, a report said Thursday.
The commission said it documented cases of "murder, torture and inhumane acts related to the treatment of the dead, widespread looting and burning of homes", leading to the mass displacement of civilians. "The violations included acts that likely amount to war crimes," it said.
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L'Orient-Le Jour
13 hours ago
- L'Orient-Le Jour
Ben-Gvir films himself threatening Marwan Barghouti in his cell; Israel carries out expansion work on a position opposite Markaba
Tripoli MP Ashraf Rifi warned Hezbollah against "resorting to threats of civil war" in a statement following a speech by Hezbollah Secretary-General Naim Qassem. In a statement carried by the state-run National News Agency, he said: " Sheikh Naim Qassem's party brought occupation, humanitarian catastrophe and economic collapse to Lebanon. Today, after its defeat, it threatens the Lebanese state and people, presents itself as a victim and accuses the majority of treason." "Enough shirking responsibility. The only solution is: the state, the state, and the state. We warn you: stop threatening civil war. It would be a catastrophe for everyone, and especially for you, after having alienated and harmed all Lebanese communities," he added. He called on Hezbollah to return to the nation and the state, and to abandon its allegiance to Iran, "which is collapsing today both internally and in all the areas where it has intervened, clinging to an outdated illusion." 13:29 Beirut Time During his sermon on Friday at the Al-Safa Mosque in the Bekaa, Sheikh Hassan Sharif warned those who trust the United States, comparing them to people who "expect wasps to produce honey." He also accused Washington of fueling conflicts in Afghanistan, Ukraine, Syria and Sudan, and of using humanitarian crises, such as the one in Gaza, as political tools, the state-run National News Agency reported. The sheikh also rejected Hezbollah's calls for disarmament, saying they reflected Israeli ambitions, and stressed the need for unity, justice and rational leadership. " We oppose war, but not at the price of surrender," he said. 13:19 Beirut Time The U.N. human rights office said Friday that Israel's decision to build a new settlement near East Jerusalem was illegal under international law and put nearby Palestinians at risk of forced eviction, a war crime. Israel's far-right Finance Minister, Bezalel Smotrich, approved plans for a settlement that would divide East Jerusalem from Israel 12:43 Beirut Time Far-right Israeli minister Itamar Ben-Gvir released a video on social media Friday morning in which he attacked and lectured Palestinian leader Marwan Barghouti, who has been imprisoned since 2002, in his cell. In the footage, posted on his X account, the National Security Minister and two other people, including a prison guard, stand in front of Barghouti and surround him in a corner of his cell. "You will not defeat us. Anyone who harms the people of Israel, anyone who kills children, anyone who kills women ... we will wipe them out," the minister said in Hebrew. Barghouti then tried to speak, but the minister interrupted him: "No, you must know that, and you have known that throughout history." "This morning (Friday), I read that various senior officials in the [Palestinian] Authority did not really like what I said to chief terrorist Marwan Barghouti, that his name be erased. So I will repeat it again and again without apology: whoever attacks the people of Israel, whoever kills our children, whoever kills our women, we will erase them. With God's help," Ben Gvir added in a commentary on the video. 12:26 Beirut Time A drone was discovered on the roof of Salah Ghandour Hospital in Bint Jbeil, L'Orient Today's correspondent in the region reported. 12:22 Beirut Time Good afternoon! Thank you for joining us for our live coverage today. 12:22 Beirut Time Hezbollah Secretary-General Naim Qassem stated that Hezbollah would not hand over its weapons to the Lebanese state as long as the Israeli aggression continues. He made these remarks on the occasion of Arbaeen, which marks the 40th day of Ashura, the death of Imam Hussein, grandson of the Prophet Muhammad and the third Shiite Imam. The speech was broadcast at the end of a commemoration in Baalbeck. The party leader also sharply criticized a decision taken by the government on Aug. 5 to finalize Hezbollah's disarmament before the end of the year, in accordance with a U.S. proposal that also included the Israeli withdrawal from sites still occupied by its army. This statement came a few days after the visit to Lebanon of the chairman of Iran's Supreme National Security Council, Ali Larijani. Qassem met the senior Iranian official, while President Joseph Aoun and Prime Minister Nawaf Salam criticized Iranian interference in the issue of restoring the state's monopoly on weapons in Lebanon. "The government's Aug. 5 decision deprives Lebanon, the resistance and its people of defensive weapons in the midst of aggression. [It] amounts to facilitating the murder of resistance fighters and their families and driving them from their homes," Naim Qassem stated, adding that "it would have been more judicious for the government to start by expelling Israel ... But this government is carrying out an American decision and serving the Israeli project, whether it is aware of it or not." "Are you satisfied that [Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin] Netanyahu congratulated you? Just look at the joy and the Israeli statements!" he said. This was a reference to comments made by the Israeli prime minister at a press conference last Sunday, during which he stated that it was thanks to Israel's actions, which had weakened the party, that the Lebanese government was "talking" about disarming it. " We hold the Lebanese government entirely responsible for any discord that might arise. We don't want it, but some are working on it," the Hezbollah leader stated, adding that his party and the Amal Movement, an ally, had agreed to "delay any street demonstrations, believing that there was still room for discussion or modification." Hezbollah supporters mobilized for several days in a row after the government decision, while being supervised by the army. "But if confrontation is imposed on us, we are ready for it," Kassem said. The fact that Hezbollah suffered heavy human and material losses during the more than year-long war with Israel, following its decision to open a support front in Gaza on Oct. 8, 2023, did not prevent Naim Qassem from speaking of a victory against Israel, likening the party's fight to "the Battle of Karbala" in 680 AD, during which Imam Hussein and his men were killed. This rhetoric was already at the center of the commemorations organized in July for Ashura. "We will fight this Battle of Karbala against the American-Israeli project, and we are confident of victory," Naim Kassem said. Looking back on the events of the 2006 war, Qassem said that the party had won a "divine" victory. "The victory of July [2006] is the victory of the will, of the resistance, the defeat of the enemy, the victory over occupation and colonization, and it is also that of the army-people-resistance triptych. This victory established a deterrent against Israel that lasted 17 years, during which it was unable to launch aggression for fear of the resistance and its people," he added. The Hezbollah secretary-general also thanked Iran for its support. " We must loudly thank the Islamic Republic of Iran, which supported us with money, weapons, and political positions, and which offered martyrs, first and foremost Iranian General Qassem Soleimani (assassinated in January 2020), in this land that is geographically distant but close to their hearts, in support of the truth. We thank Iran, its leadership, its people, the Revolutionary Guards, the government, and all those responsible," added Qassem. Naim Qassem called on the Lebanese government to "come together to plan the response to the aggression and build the country, and not to submit to American-Israeli arrogance." "Have you heard Netanyahu say that he wants Greater Israel?" he added, referring to comments made this week by the Israeli prime minister. "We hope that some Arab countries will remain silent instead of supporting the enemy in its strikes against the resistance." The term "Greater Israel" alludes to biblical borders from the time of King Solomon, which supposedly encompass the West Bank but also parts of the territories located in neighboring countries, and which ultra-nationalist Israelis dream of occupying. In a speech this week, Benjamin Netanyahu said he was "very committed" to the vision of "Greater Israel." "The government has taken an extremely serious decision, in violation of the covenant of common life – that is, the Constitution – which stipulates that no authority can be legitimate if it contradicts this principle. The ministerial statement referred to a defensive strategy; where is it? You want to remove the legitimacy of arming the resistance? You cannot, because the resistance drew its legitimacy from the Taif Agreement, the Constitution and the bloodshed, not from you," Qassem stated. He also said that " the resistance does not derive its legitimacy from the government" and that " it is forbidden to drag the army into internal discord; its record is impeccable and its leadership does not wish to engage in it." 12:22 Beirut Time The municipality of Aitaroun strongly condemned the Israeli strike that targeted a municipal police officer on Thursday afternoon, injuring two people, one seriously, in the Dhouhour area. " The municipality condemns and denounces in the strongest terms this clear attack against one of its employees, while he was carrying out his recognized and transparent duties in the context of his work in the service of the city's residents, in accordance with the defined tasks and the legislation in force," the municipality's press release stated. It added that this attack "constitutes a blatant aggression, adding to the long list of Zionist aggressions against official teams and civilians in Lebanon. We hand this incident over to the competent authorities so that they follow up on these attacks and take appropriate measures." Israeli forces are carrying out expansion works on Marj hill, located on the edge of Wadi Hunin, opposite the town of Markaba (Marjayoun), reported L'Orient Today's correspondent in the region. The announcement came as the outgoing head of the Israeli army's Northern Command, Maj. Gen. Uri Gordin, said Wednesday during his change of command ceremony that the army "made a strategic mistake by allowing Hezbollah to strengthen along the northern border," according to the Jerusalem Post. Major General Rafi Milo, former head of the Rear Command, now assumes the role. "This was an operational and strategic mistake on my part and that of my predecessors – a serious mistake that must not be repeated!" Gordin said. "The north is safer today than it has been in decades. This is the time to modernize and foster prosperity and growth; it is a national opportunity," he added. 12:22 Beirut Time As the Israeli army prepares to take control of Gaza City and neighboring refugee camps on orders from Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's security cabinet, with the stated aim of defeating Hamas and freeing Israeli hostages, more and more voices are being raised to denounce the brutality with which Israel operates in the Palestinian enclave. This is particularly the case of Jack Lang, president of the Arab World Institute and former Minister of Culture, who virulently denounces the "work of destruction" carried out by Benjamin Netanyahu in Gaza and the West Bank. Read his interview with L'Orient-Le Jour here. The armed wing of the Palestinian Mujahideen Movement, the Mujahideen Brigades, said its fighters managed to hit an Israeli Merkava tank in the Zeitoun neighborhood. The statement posted on Telegram did not provide details on the results of the attack. In the occupied West Bank, the Palestinian Prisoners Media Office released the names of 20 Palestinians confirmed to have been arrested in Israeli military raids since last night. Five young men from the same family were arrested in two raids in Nablus, while three mothers of Palestinians previously killed by Israeli forces were among eight people arrested in Qalqiliya. Six other people were arrested during Israeli incursions into parts of Jenin, the Jalazon refugee camp in Ramallah, and towns in Tulkarm.
L'Orient-Le Jour
13 hours ago
- L'Orient-Le Jour
Iran says 'working with China and Russia' to stop European sanctions
Iran said Thursday it was working with China and Russia to prevent the snapback of European sanctions over Tehran's nuclear program after Britain, France and Germany threatened to reimpose them. "We will try to prevent it," Iran's foreign minister, Abbas Araghchi, said in an interview with state TV. "We are working with China and Russia to stop it. If this does not work and they apply it, we have tools to respond. We will discuss them in due course." The trio of European powers, known as the E3, told the United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Wednesday that they were ready to reimpose sanctions on Tehran if no diplomatic solution was found by the end of August. All three were signatories to a 2015 deal that lifted sanctions in return for curbs on Iran's nuclear program. The agreement, which terminates in October, includes a "snapback mechanism" allowing sanctions to be restored. "We have made clear that if Iran is not willing to reach a diplomatic solution before the end of August 2025, or does not seize the opportunity of an extension, E3 are prepared to trigger the snapback mechanism," the group's foreign ministers said in the letter. "If Iran continues to violate its international obligations, France and its German and British partners will reimpose the global embargoes on arms, nuclear equipment and banking restrictions that were lifted 10 years ago at the end of August," French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot posted on X on Wednesday. Araghchi said the return of sanctions would be "negative" but that the predicted economic effects "have been exaggerated." 'Legally justified' The 2015 deal, known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, or JCPOA, effectively collapsed after U.S. President Donald Trump withdrew from it in 2018 during his first term and restored crippling sanctions. European countries attempted to keep the deal alive, while Iran initially stuck to the terms before later ramping up its uranium enrichment. Earlier this year, the United States joined Israel in bombing Iran's nuclear facilities. Israel launched its attacks while Washington and Tehran were still pursuing nuclear talks, which have not since resumed. Western powers have long accused Iran of pursuing nuclear weapons, a charge the Iranian government strongly denies. Even before Israel attacked Iran, they had raised concerns about the lack of access given to inspectors from the U.N.'s nuclear watchdog, the International Atomic Energy Agency. Iran halted all cooperation with the IAEA after the strikes. Last month, Araghchi sent a letter to the U.N. saying the European countries did not have the legal right to restore sanctions. The European ministers called the claim "unfounded." They insisted that, as JCPOA signatories, they would be "clearly and unambiguously legally justified in using relevant provisions" of U.N. resolutions "to trigger U.N. snapback to reinstate UNSC resolutions against Iran which would prohibit enrichment and re-impose U.N. sanctions."
L'Orient-Le Jour
13 hours ago
- L'Orient-Le Jour
Israeli far-right minister backs contentious West Bank settlement plan
Israel's finance minister backed plans on Thursday to build 3,400 homes in a particularly contentious area of the occupied West Bank, calling for the territory's annexation in response to several countries' plans to recognize a Palestinian state. The United Nations chief warned that building Israeli homes in the area would "put an end to" hopes for a two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Israel has long had ambitions to build on the sensitive parcel of land east of Jerusalem known as E1, but the plan has been frozen for decades amid international opposition. Israeli settlements in the West Bank are considered illegal under international law, while critics and the international community have warned that construction on the roughly 12 square kilometers would undermine hopes for a contiguous future Palestinian state with East Jerusalem as its capital. The site sits between the ancient city and the Israeli settlement of Maale Adumim, near routes connecting the north and south of the Palestinian territory. There are also separate, frozen plans to expand Israel's separation barrier to envelop the area. "Those who want to recognize a Palestinian state today will receive a response from us on the ground ... Through concrete actions: houses, neighborhoods, roads and Jewish families building their lives," said Bezalel Smotrich, Israel's finance minister, who was speaking at a pro-settlement event on the advancement of plans for the E1 parcel. "On this important day, I call on Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to apply Israeli sovereignty in Judea and Samaria, to abandon once and for all the idea of partitioning the country, and to ensure that by September, the hypocritical European leaders will have nothing left to recognise," the far-right figurehead added, using the Biblical term for the West Bank, which Israel has occupied since 1967. Britain and France are among several countries to announce in recent weeks plans to recognize a Palestinian state later this year, saying they wanted to keep the two-state solution alive. 'Breach of international law' Stephane Dujarric, the spokesperson for U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, said "If this went ahead – which we call on the Israeli government not to do ... it would sever the northern and southern West banks." He added that "it would put an end to the prospects of a two-state solution." The Palestinian foreign ministry condemned the plans and called for "genuine international intervention and the imposition of sanctions on the occupation to compel it to halt the implementation." "Colonial construction in the E1 area is a continuation of the occupation's plans to destroy the opportunity for the establishment of a Palestinian state," it added. The European Union's chief diplomat, Kaja Kallas, said the plan "further undermines the two-state solution while being a breach of international law" and called on Israel "to desist." Germany said it "strongly objects" to the plan and called on the Israeli government to "stop settlement construction," while Saudi Arabia also condemned the move "in the strongest possible terms." Israeli NGO Peace Now, which monitors settlement activity in the West Bank, denounced the E1 plan as "deadly for the future of Israel and for any chance of achieving a peaceful two-state solution." The NGO said the final approval hearing would be held next Wednesday by a technical committee under the Defense Ministry that has already rejected all objections to the proposals. After the bureaucratic steps are completed, "infrastructure work in E1 could begin within a few months, and housing construction within about a year," Peace Now said. The West Bank is home to around three million Palestinians, as well as about 500,000 Israeli settlers.
