Latest news with #LebanonWar
LBCI
5 days ago
- Business
- LBCI
Urgent draft law referred to Lebanese Parliament granting tax relief to war-affected citizens
An urgent draft law has been referred to Parliament aiming to provide tax and fee exemptions for individuals affected by the Israeli war on Lebanon. The proposed legislation includes measures to suspend deadlines related to tax obligations and rights, offering relief to those who sustained damage during the conflict.
Ammon
03-06-2025
- Politics
- Ammon
The thin line between explosion and détente in Gaza
The Witkoff Plan is one of the most prominent international initiatives proposed to halt the devastating war on the Gaza Strip, which has entered its final months amid profound political, military, and humanitarian complications. While the plan came in response to mounting international pressure, particularly from the Trump administration, the positions of both Israel and Hamas have ranged from conditional acceptance to cautious rejection. This makes the future of this plan contingent on a set of complex internal, regional, and international equations, and makes studying possible scenarios a matter of strategic importance. The Witkoff Plan, proposed under US sponsorship and led by President Donald Trump and his special envoy, Steve Witkoff, aims for a temporary ceasefire in Gaza for 60 days, with US guarantees, as a prelude to reaching a permanent agreement. It stipulates the release of 10 living Israeli hostages and 18 bodies from a list of hostages, in exchange for the release of 125 Palestinian prisoners serving life sentences and 1,111 detainees from Gaza, in addition to the handover of 180 Palestinian bodies. The plan includes a cessation of Israeli military operations, a restriction of military air traffic, and the redeployment of Israeli forces northward and then southward, according to agreed-upon maps. It also stipulates the entry of humanitarian aid under the supervision of the United Nations and the Red Crescent. Negotiations on a permanent ceasefire will begin on the first day of the truce, and will address the exchange of the remaining hostages, redeployment, security arrangements, and the "day after" for Gaza. If an agreement is not reached within the deadline, the truce can be extended under agreed-upon terms. The plan includes mediation and guarantees from the United States, Qatar, and Egypt, with direct oversight from President Trump, who will officially announce the agreement. The Israeli scene is suffering from a sharp internal division between a security faction that favors accepting the plan as a political solution that saves Israel's face, and a hard-line right-wing faction that rejects any truce before the complete elimination of the "military threat from Hamas." Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu finds himself between a rock and a hard place. On the one hand, he fears that accepting the plan will lead to the collapse of his government under pressure from the extreme right, which threatens to withdraw. On the other hand, he faces increasing American pressure, in addition to internal demonstrations by the families of the hostages, who accuse his government of stalling and sacrificing their sons for narrow political calculations. Israel, in its strategic depth, fears that accepting the plan will be perceived as a political and military defeat against a beleaguered resistance movement, and that the scenario following the 2006 Lebanon War will be repeated, when Hezbollah emerged with increasing political and popular influence despite human and material losses. In contrast, Hamas, despite the severe blows it has suffered, retains a negotiating position based on its remaining Israeli hostages and its ability to withstand the war machine. Hamas expressed initial acceptance of the plan, but stipulated that it include a permanent ceasefire, a complete withdrawal of Israeli forces from the Gaza Strip, the release of all Palestinian prisoners, and a rejection of any Israeli military or security presence inside the Strip. It also stipulated the need for Gaza's reconstruction under Arab and international supervision. These demands reflect the movement's desire to transform the results of the war into political gains that will enable it to maintain its role in the Palestinian arena, especially in light of talk of future arrangements that may include the return of the Palestinian Authority to Gaza or the formation of a new administration for the Strip with regional participation. In light of these facts, three main scenarios for the future of the Witkoff plan can be envisioned. The first scenario involves conditional mutual acceptance of the plan, whereby some of its provisions are modified to bring the positions closer together, and a gradual implementation phase begins under international supervision, with American and regional guarantees. This scenario is possible, but it requires internal consensus within Israel and effective pressure from Washington on the Netanyahu government. It also requires Hamas's tacit acceptance of the phased solution without compromising its basic conditions. The second scenario is that Israel refuses to implement the second phase of the plan after the release of some hostages, leading to the collapse of the agreement and the resumption of fighting. This scenario reflects the nature of the divisions within the Israeli government and could lead to a domestic political crisis and increased public pressure. However, it could also serve Netanyahu in gaining more time and avoiding the collapse of his coalition. The third, and most bleak, scenario is the complete failure of the plan, either due to the refusal of one party or the collapse of international understandings, leading to the continuation of the war and its transformation into a protracted war of attrition. In this scenario, the humanitarian catastrophe in Gaza would worsen, and Arab and international popular anger against Israel would expand. Other regional parties might also become more involved, threatening to escalate the situation on other fronts, such as southern Lebanon or the West Bank. In this scenario, the United States would find itself in an extremely difficult position before the world. The Witkoff Plan, despite its political ambition and humanitarian dimensions, collides with an extremely complex reality, rendering its chances of success limited without comprehensive agreements and painful concessions from both sides. This seems unlikely given each side's adherence to its own narrative and objectives. At the same time, however, the plan could constitute a preliminary framework upon which to build to reduce the intensity of the conflict and open a window for negotiations, should genuine international support and political will transcend narrow calculations be available. Between rejection and acceptance, Gaza's future remains suspended on a thin line between explosion and détente.
National Post
11-05-2025
- Politics
- National Post
Remains of Israeli soldier missing since 1982 recovered in Syria
Article content Israeli President Isaac Herzog called the return of Feldman's body 'an immensely emotional moment and the closing of a circle after more than four decades.' Article content 'I spoke this morning with the Feldman family, who shared with me their feelings of emotion, relief and pain after so many years of grief and uncertainty,' Herzog said. Article content 'Tzvi was declared missing since falling in the battle of Sultan Yacoub in June 1982, during the First Lebanon War. I thank everyone involved in this important operation—a principled and determined effort that enabled his return for burial in the Land of Israel and ensured he received final honours.' Article content Herzog emphasized that 'Israel will always continue to act to bring back Staff Sgt. First Class Yehuda Katz, who remains missing from the same battle. Article content 'The sacred mission of returning all of our captives and missing—living and fallen alike, until the very last one—must always remain at the top of our priorities,' the president said. Article content Israel must always bring home its sons and daughters. The body of IDF soldier Tzvi Feldman, who had been declared missing after a battle in Lebanon in 1982, was recovered from Syria in a special mission by the Mossad and the Israel Defense Forces. — Aviva Klompas (@AvivaKlompas) May 11, 2025 Article content The operation marked the culmination of more than four decades of intelligence and field efforts, conducted in close coordination among the Prime Minister's Office's hostage and missing persons coordinators, the Mossad, the IDF Intelligence Directorate, the Israel Security Agency (Shin Bet) and the IDF Personnel Directorate. Article content The family of Katz was also updated on the recovery of Feldman's remains and the continued efforts to locate their missing loved one. Article content Netanyahu expressed his deep appreciation to all agencies involved, including the Mossad, IDF and Shin Bet, and Hostage and Missing Coordinator Brig.-Gen. (res.) Gal Hirsch, praising their 'principled, determined and courageous' work. Article content Quoting the Prophet Jeremiah, Netanyahu concluded: 'There is hope for your future, declares the Lord, and your children shall return to their own border.' Article content The Israeli defence establishment reaffirmed its commitment to bring back all Israeli captives and MIAs—whether living, slain, missing or abducted—through unwavering effort, day and night. Article content
Jordan News
11-05-2025
- Politics
- Jordan News
Israel Recovers Remains of Soldier Missing Since 1982 War in Special Operation - Jordan News
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced on Sunday that Israel has recovered the remains of a soldier killed during the 1982 Lebanon War, following a special operation conducted by the Mossad and the Israel Defense Forces (IDF). اضافة اعلان According to a statement from the Prime Minister's Office, the remains of Sergeant First Class Tzvika Feldman—who went missing during the Battle of Sultan Yacoub in June 1982—were brought back to Israel. The battle, which took place in the Beqaa Valley of eastern Lebanon, saw Israeli forces clash with the Syrian army during the Israeli invasion of Lebanon. In a separate joint statement, the IDF and Mossad confirmed that Feldman's remains were located in Syria and repatriated through a special operation. Hebrew media sources reported that Feldman had served in the Armored Corps. The Battle of Sultan Yacoub, which occurred nearly 43 years ago, resulted in the deaths of 21 Israeli soldiers and injuries to over 30 others, according to The Times of Israel. Netanyahu remarked: 'For decades, Tzvika was missing, but efforts to locate him—alongside other missing soldiers from that battle—never ceased for even a moment.' Israeli newspaper Maariv, citing a military source, described the mission to recover Feldman's body as a complex operation carried out inside Syria. Families of Israeli prisoners and missing persons welcomed the news but expressed concern, saying: 'We fear having to wait another 43 years to bring back our loved ones.'
LBCI
11-05-2025
- Politics
- LBCI
Israeli PM says repatriated body of soldier killed in 1982 in Lebanon
The body of an Israeli soldier killed in battle in Lebanon 43 years ago has been repatriated in a "special operation," Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office said on Sunday. In a special operation by the Mossad and the Israeli army, we have brought home the body of Sergeant Major Tzvi Feldman, who fell in the Battle of Sultan Ya'akov in June 1982 during the First Lebanon War," the statement from Netanyahu's office said. AFP
