Nawaf Salam

Lebanese Army Enters Aitaroun As Israeli Army Retreats

The Lebanese army has entered on Saturday the army unit headquarters which has been isolated for 10 days in Aitaroun, in order to reopen the main road and secure its surroundings after it was blocked by Israeli bulldozers. In a later phase, the army plans to deploy in the town after the Israeli withdrawal. The Lebanese army's entry does ...

Israel to Release 183 Prisoners on Saturday, Doubling Previous Figure

Israel is set to release 183 prisoners on Saturday in the fourth hostage-prisoner exchange under the Gaza ceasefire deal, a Palestinian advocacy group said, more than doubling the previous reported figure. "The updated number of prisoners to be released tomorrow is 183," said Palestinian Prisoners' Club spokeswoman Amani Sarahneh on Friday, after ...

Explaining the Diplomatic Roller-Coaster in Damascus

The diplomatic roller-coaster in Syria’s capital since the fall of Bashar al-Assad’s regime suggests that a strategic shift is underway. This is all the more significant as the Prince of Qatar, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani, made an official visit to Damascus on Thursday, where he was received by the interim Syrian president, Ahmad ...

Syria Sanctions: EU's 'Carrot and Stick' Policy

The 27-member European Union agreed on Monday on a "roadmap" to gradually ease sanctions on key sectors of the Syrian economy that were imposed under the former regime of Bashar al-Assad. However, the EU has ruled out any unconditional lifting of these measures. The process will be gradual and subject to strict conditions. In other words, the bloc ...

Al-Qard al-Hassan Delays Compensation Payments: Is Hezbollah in Trouble?

The recent decision by Al-Qard al-Hassan, Hezbollah’s illegal financial institution, to postpone until February 10 the payment of compensation to victims of the conflict with Israel has sent shockwaves through the Shiite community. The payments were originally scheduled for February 1. To justify this delay, the militia-run ‘bank’ cited ...

Gaza: Rafah Crossing to Reopen on Saturday

Gaza's Rafah border crossing with Egypt is to reopen Saturday following a fourth exchange of hostages and prisoners under a truce agreement, a Hamas official and a source with knowledge of discussions told AFP. The Rafah crossing was a vital entry point for humanitarian aid to enter Gaza before the Israeli military seized the Palestinian side of ...

Hamas Confirms Death of its Military Chief Mohammed Deif

Hamas confirmed on Thursday the death of its military chief Mohammed Deif, accused by Israel of being one of the masterminds behind the October 7 attack and whose killing it announced last year. "The Al-Qassam Brigades announce to our great people the martyrdom of a group of distinguished fighters and heroic commanders," Abu Obeida, spokesman for ...

Israeli Strikes on Lebanese-Syrian Border Kill Two

For the first time since the November 27 ceasefire, the Israeli Air Force launched air raids on illegal sites and crossings along the Lebanon-Syria border at dawn on Friday, targeting the Janta region in the eastern mountain range. The strikes triggered powerful explosions and shock waves, escalating regional tensions. According to Lebanon’s ...

In First Address to the Nation, Sharaa Promises "National Dialogue" and Stability

Syria's interim president, Ahmed al-Sharaa, promised Thursday to hold a "national dialogue conference" in his first address to the nation since the fall of ousted leader Bashar al-Assad. Sharaa, who was appointed interim president a day earlier for an unspecified transitional period, vowed to preserve "civil peace" and Syria's territorial ...

UNRWA to Pursue Operations in Palestinian Territories Despite New Israeli Legislation

The United Nations said Thursday its humanitarian relief agency UNRWA would continue working in all Palestinian territories, including east Jerusalem, despite Israeli legislation coming into force that cuts ties with the organization. Israel decided to ban the UN agency for Palestinian refugees following accusations some of its staff belong to ...