Nawaf Salam

Islamic Jihad Operative Killed by Israeli Military Amid Gaza Truce

The Israeli military said Wednesday that it killed an Islamic Jihad militant in southern Gaza, the first such reported death since the start of a ceasefire with Hamas in the Palestinian territory. In a statement, the military said Israeli troops in southern Gaza "identified several armed suspects who posed a threat" and "operated ...

Is a Fait Accompli Government on the Horizon?

Will Prime Minister-designate Nawaf Salam and President Joseph Aoun succeed in forming a government that aligns with their expectations and meets the needs of the Lebanese people, all while resisting political pressures, particularly from Amal and Hezbollah? Although this outcome cannot entirely be ruled out, there are warnings against its ...

Lebanese Army Deploys Partially in Selected Areas of South Lebanon

With just four days remaining until the end of the ceasefire agreement, Israeli violations persist as the Lebanese army deployment in the south continues. A Lebanese army patrol and a Civil Defense team repositioned on Wednesday in the towns of Hanine (Bint Jbeil) and Kfarchouba (Hasbaya). Meanwhile, Israeli forces infiltrated the village of ...

Israeli Chief Of Staff Resigns After ‘Failure Of 7 October'

Israeli army chief Herzi Halevi resigned on Tuesday, acknowledging his responsibility for the ‘failure’ to prevent a Palestinian Hamas attack on 7 October 2023, on the third day of a fragile ceasefire in Gaza. Following the entry into force on Sunday of the first phase of the truce, which led to the release of three Israeli hostages and 90 ...

Four Wounded in Tel Aviv Stabbing Attack, Assailant Killed

Four people were wounded in a stabbing attack on Tuesday in Tel Aviv while the attacker was killed, Israeli emergency service Magen David Adom said. The police said an initial investigation "revealed that a terrorist armed with a knife stabbed three civilians on Nahalat Binyamin Street and one civilian on Gruzenberg Street". Ichilov hospital in ...

A New Triptych of Reforms in Sight

The Lebanese people are eagerly awaiting the formation of the first ministerial team of President Joseph Aoun’s mandate. As French President Emmanuel Macron emphasized during his recent visit to Beirut, the government’s composition must reflect “the momentum set by President Aoun in his inaugural address on January 9.” In other words, ...

Salam: ‘The Finance Ministry Is Not a Monopoly’

Prime Minister-designate Nawaf Salam emphasized on Tuesday that the Finance Ministry is “neither a monopoly for one sect nor forbidden to another,” asserting the need to uphold constitutional principles in the government formation process. Speaking to reporters after briefing President Joseph Aoun on his discussions with parliamentarians, he ...

It Is Time for Israeli-Lebanese Peace

A window for peace between Israel and Lebanon just unexpectedly opened. There was an old adage that "Lebanon will never be the first Arab state to make peace with Israel, but it won't be the last." Sadly, with Lebanese decisions dictated by the Assad family backed by Iran, that concept became obsolete. Since 1983, the Assads ensured that South ...

Qatar PM: Lasting Gaza Peace Requires "Good Faith" by Israel and Hamas

Qatar's prime minister said Tuesday that a lasting peace in Gaza would depend on Israel and Hamas acting in "good faith", days into a fragile truce in the Palestinian territory mediated by the Gulf state. "If they are embarking in this in good faith, this will last and hopefully will lead to phase two, will lead to a permanent ceasefire," Prime ...

Israeli Military Chief Resigns over October 7 'Failure'

The head of Israel's military, Lieutenant General Herzi Halevi, resigned on Tuesday over his responsibility for its "failure" during the Palestinian militant group Hamas's attack on October 7, 2023. In his resignation letter, released by the army, Halevi said he was leaving "due to my acknowledgement of responsibility for ...

Houthis Announce Plans to Solely Target Israel-Linked Ships During Truce

Yemen's Houthis said Tuesday they would limit their Red Sea attacks to vessels linked to Israel during the ceasefire in the Gaza war. The Houthis have been attacking shipping in the vital waterway in what they say is solidarity with the Palestinians since November 2023, weeks after Hamas carried out the deadliest attack in Israeli history. "We ...