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Paris Int’l Conference Focuses on Humanitarian Aid for Gaza, Discusses War's Political Aspects

International Humanitarian Conference for the Civilian Population in Gaza at the Elysee Palace in Paris on Thursday (AP)
International Humanitarian Conference for the Civilian Population in Gaza at the Elysee Palace in Paris on Thursday (AP)
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Paris Int’l Conference Focuses on Humanitarian Aid for Gaza, Discusses War's Political Aspects

International Humanitarian Conference for the Civilian Population in Gaza at the Elysee Palace in Paris on Thursday (AP)
International Humanitarian Conference for the Civilian Population in Gaza at the Elysee Palace in Paris on Thursday (AP)

France hosted a conference Thursday on humanitarian aid for Gaza, calling for a "humanitarian pause" in the Israel-Hamas war so countries can "work towards a ceasefire."

French President Emmanuel Macron chaired the only session of the "International Humanitarian Conference for the Civilian Population in Gaza."

France divided the session into two parts: one open to the public and the media, while the second was closed and limited to the participating official eighty delegations, including representatives of international organizations and civil society organizations.

The conference did not include strong representation, while the Elysee Palace was counting on a summit that brought together several heads of state and government.

Palestinian Prime Minister Ahmed Shtayyeh was the only Arab top official at the summit, along with the Presidents of Ireland and Cyprus and the prime ministers of Greece and Luxembourg.

Paris did not extend invitations to Israel, Iran, and Russia. However, no official representatives from Lebanon, Syria, Yemen, Libya, and Sudan attended the summit for various reasons, including wars or economic hardship.

- Four themes

During the conference, four main themes dominated the speeches of state and international organizations representatives.

The first theme focused on the insufficient aid delivered to Gaza, mainly through the Rafah crossing on the border with Egypt, noting that two other crossings must be considered, such as the Kerem Shalom crossing and another based on a Cypriot proposal.

Cyprus President Nikos Christodoulides detailed his 25-page plan to open a direct path by sea to provide a continued rapid, safe, and unhindered flow of humanitarian aid pragmatically and effectively.

According to Christodoulides, the proposal is carefully studied and can be implemented, provided that there is political cover, primarily meaning Israel and the Palestinians accept the establishment of the necessary infrastructure for the humanitarian maritime corridor to Gaza.

The Cypriot President noted that "humanitarian" ships, which can be escorted by military personnel to reach their destination, can transport thousands of tons, unlike land transport.

- Obstacles to Rafah port

The Greek Prime Minister praised the Cypriot project and suggested providing Greek naval ships for this purpose.

However, given the obstacles that Israel imposes regarding the Rafah port to slow down the movement of trucks toward Gaza, the Cypriot proposal could require intense political and diplomatic pressure until it sees the light.

Furthermore, the conference witnessed several proposals to establish field hospitals, remove the wounded from Gaza, and provide financial aid to UNRWA and humanitarian organizations.

The second theme emerged unanimously and strongly through speeches and discussions, asserting the need for humanitarian truces and ceasefires. It aimed to facilitate the arrival and distribution of humanitarian aid and end the Israeli massacres in the enclave.

Opinions varied between parties calling for temporary humanitarian truces and others insisting on a complete ceasefire. Still, the general atmosphere that dominated the conference demonstrated the need to take action.

During his speech, Shtayyeh wondered how many Palestinians must be killed for the war to stop.

"Is killing 10,000 people in 30 days enough?"

Shtayyeh gave a quick presentation of the 75 years of Palestinian suffering in Gaza, Jerusalem, and the West Bank.

Shtayyeh said that it was the sixth and not the first war carried out by Israel against Gaza, concluding that it was a war against the Palestinian people.

- The two-state solution

The third theme of the Paris Conference reiterated the necessity of reactivating the political track and the two-state solution.

Macron referred to the humanitarian and security axes in his opening speech, including fighting Hamas and restricting funding sources. He also addressed the political path of diplomatic work, asserting the need to resume bringing peace to the Middle East with a two-state solution.

"We must learn from our errors and no longer accept that peace in the Middle East always be pushed back to later," he said.

As the fighting continues, the humanitarian situation "is worsening more and more each day," Macron said.

The last theme of the conference warned that the situation could be out of control with the ongoing fighting, escalation, bombing, and casualties, adding that it could expand to other fronts and perhaps lead to a regional war.

The conference also included influential speeches from the United Nations, UNRWA, and the International Committee of Red Cross Committee (ICRC).

UNRWA Commissioner-General Philippe Lazzarini described the situation in Gaza as "catastrophic," refusing to consider civilian casualties, especially children, as "collateral damage."

In his speech, Lazzarini referred to the destruction of entire neighborhoods, including schools, mosques, hospitals, and churches.

He condemned depriving civilians of food, water, and medicine, saying it was collective punishment.

The UN official called for an immediate ceasefire, asserting the need to protect civilian infrastructure necessary for life and an acceleration of the flow of humanitarian aid.

Lazzarini also addressed the situation in the West Bank, warning that military incursions by the Israeli Forces and settler violence have caused "record high death tolls among Palestinians.

If we did not have Gaza today, all our attention would be on the West Bank."

- Immediate ceasefire

Also at the conference, Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator Martin Griffiths said the "so-called safe zones" are nonsense, pointing to serious concerns about the safety of the civilians.

Griffiths warned that "unless multilateral and diplomatic efforts can be maximized to ensure the protection of civilians, enhance humanitarian access and secure the release of the hostages so viciously taken on October 7th, I have real fears that this could just be the beginning."

For her part, President of the French section of Doctors Without Borders (MSF) Isabelle Dufourny said there were no safe zones in Gaza, and a third of the Gazan victims were killed in those areas.

Dufourny informed the conference that 700 humanitarian organizations and associations demanded an immediate ceasefire.

ICRC President Mirjana Spoljaric denounced Israel's targeting of all buildings in northern Gaza as military targets, adding: "We are confronted with a catastrophic moral failing, one that the world must not tolerate."

Egypt denounced the international silence regarding Israeli violations of international humanitarian law in the Palestinian territories.

Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry said the Israeli government is going beyond the "right to self-defense," expressing his regret at the "double standards."

Shoukry believed that the aid that entered the Strip did not meet the needs, criticizing Israel and the "complex procedures" it imposes on the entry of aid into the enclave.

- Respect international humanitarian law

The attendees condemned Israel's war on Gazans and demanded respect for international humanitarian law. They also blamed Hamas "terrorist act" calling for the "immediate and unconditional release" of all captives with the organization.

The conference sought to mobilize financial resources, identifying several sectors to receive emergency support based on United Nations assessments of urgent needs amounting to $1.1 billion.

They also discussed restoring water, fuel, and electricity supplies and establishing accountability to ensure that aid is not diverted to Hamas.

Macron revealed that France will increase aid to the Palestinians from €20 million to €100 million in 2023.

The European Commission also reported that the European Union decided to quadruple the planned aid to Gaza to reach €100 million, in addition to the air bridge to transport aid through al-Arish Airport.

 

 

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Arab World

Yemen Welcomes EU Terror Designation of Iran’s Revolutionary Guards

Iran’s Revolutionary Guards control the military activities of all Houthi units (EPA) 
Iran’s Revolutionary Guards control the military activities of all Houthi units (EPA) 
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Yemen Welcomes EU Terror Designation of Iran’s Revolutionary Guards

Iran’s Revolutionary Guards control the military activities of all Houthi units (EPA) 
Iran’s Revolutionary Guards control the military activities of all Houthi units (EPA) 

The Yemeni government welcomed a European Union decision to designate Iran’s Revolutionary Guards as a terrorist organization, saying the move marked a long-awaited shift toward confronting a central driver of instability and security threats across the region and beyond.

In an official statement, the government said the decision reflected growing European awareness of the destructive role the Guards had played over many years.

It said the group had fueled armed conflicts, systematically supported groups and militias operating outside national state institutions, repeatedly threatened international maritime routes, and persistently undermined the foundations of global stability and security.

The statement said classifying the Guards as a terrorist organization marked a qualitative shift in the international community’s approach to Iran’s behavior and brought to an end a long period of political leniency toward activities that have become a direct threat to collective security, both in the Middle East and beyond.

It added that Yemen’s Houthi group was nothing more than one of the Guards’ direct military arms, and that its project, based on violence, coups, and the imposition of faits accomplis by force, represented a straightforward extension of the destabilizing role led by the Iranian military body outside Iran’s borders.

The government said the Houthis’ record of targeting civilians, shelling civilian infrastructure, launching cross-border attacks, and threatening commercial shipping and maritime navigation in the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden clearly demonstrated the group’s organic and operational links to the Guards, in terms of ideology, funding, armament, and military planning.

It said the obstruction of regional and international peace efforts in Yemen, the disruption of political tracks, and the use of organized violence as a negotiating tool were practices consistent with the model adopted by the Guards in managing their proxies in the region and turning them into tools of pressure and blackmail against the international community.

The Yemeni government called on the European Union to complete this step by taking a similar and decisive decision to designate the Houthis as a terrorist organization, in line with European laws and legislation and relevant UN Security Council resolutions, to help dry up the militias’ sources of funding, deter their aggressive behavior, and enhance prospects for a just and lasting peace in Yemen and the region.

Practical measures

In the same context, Information, Culture and Tourism Minister Muammar al-Eryani said the EU’s decision to classify the Guards as a terrorist organization was “a step in the right direction and a clear message that the international community has begun to deal seriously with one of the most dangerous sources of instability in the region, after years of overlooking its cross-border military and security roles.”

He said in an official statement that the importance of the decision lay not only in its political symbolism but also in the practical executive measures that must follow, including drying up funding sources, freezing assets, pursuing networks and fronts linked to the Guards, and cutting off channels of support, smuggling, and armament they manage across multiple countries and regions.

Eryani said the Guards had played a direct and organized role in Yemen by managing the Houthi coup project, noting that their involvement went beyond supplying weapons, experts, technology, and funding to include operational supervision and the management of military and security networks in areas under Houthi control.

He said this was proven by field evidence and by the roles played by Guards operatives, including Hasan Irlu and Abdul Reza Shahlai, whom he described as operational field managers of Iran’s project.

He said what happened in Yemen was not an exceptional case but part of a fixed regional pattern based on building armed militias parallel to the state, fueling conflicts, spreading chaos and terrorism, and using proxies to impose realities by force and blackmail the international community.

Historic decision

The Yemeni position follows what it described as a historic decision taken by EU foreign ministers on Jan. 29, 2026, to add Iran’s Revolutionary Guards to the bloc’s terrorist list, in a shift described as ending a phase of diplomatic caution and ushering in a new era of economic and legal confrontation with what it called the backbone of Iran’s ruling system.

The decision came in direct response to the violent crackdown by Iranian authorities on widespread protests in late 2025 and early 2026, which rights groups estimate resulted in the deaths of thousands of civilians, as well as the Guards’ expanding regional role, including supplying Russia with drones and threatening global energy security and international shipping.

The designation entails a package of strict legal and political consequences, including asset freezes, travel bans, and the criminalization of any form of cooperation or support, alongside tighter diplomatic isolation, limiting the Guards’ ability to operate under political or economic cover inside Europe.

The Yemeni government said the path to regional security and stability begins with ending the policy of impunity for actors that sponsor and manage cross-border armed militias, supporting national states and their legitimate institutions, and respecting countries’ unity, sovereignty, and territorial integrity.

It reiterated its full commitment to working closely with the international community, foremost the European Union, to achieve peace, combat terrorism, protect international navigation, and build a safe and stable future for the peoples of the region.

Arab World

Lebanon-Israel Ceasefire Panel to Stay, French Role Remains Military

Lebanese President Joseph Aoun meets Armed Forces Commander General Rodolphe Haykal ahead of his departure for Washington (Lebanese Presidency)
Lebanese President Joseph Aoun meets Armed Forces Commander General Rodolphe Haykal ahead of his departure for Washington (Lebanese Presidency)
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Lebanon-Israel Ceasefire Panel to Stay, French Role Remains Military

Lebanese President Joseph Aoun meets Armed Forces Commander General Rodolphe Haykal ahead of his departure for Washington (Lebanese Presidency)
Lebanese President Joseph Aoun meets Armed Forces Commander General Rodolphe Haykal ahead of his departure for Washington (Lebanese Presidency)

A statement by the US embassy in Beirut has cut through weeks of Lebanese speculation over the fate of the committee monitoring the cessation of hostilities between Lebanon and Israel, following delays in its meetings.

The statement also signaled that no French civilian member would be added to the body, after sustained local media reports of US–French wrangling over its composition.

Notably, the embassy’s surprise statement, issued on Friday, emphasized the committee’s “military character” and set a date for its subsequent meetings in late February.

The developments come ahead of a visit by Lebanese Armed Forces Commander General Rodolphe Haykal to Washington, where he is due to meet several US officials over three days.

The three-day visit is scheduled for February 3-5.

Preparations for the visit were the focus of a meeting Haykal held with President Joseph Aoun, who was briefed on the arrangements and planned meetings, according to a statement from the presidency.

Military needs

According to ministerial sources, discussions centered on what Haykal will present in Washington, including the military’s needs at this sensitive stage, both logistical support and armaments.

This comes as the army’s responsibilities expand, particularly in southern Lebanon, where it has assumed increasing responsibilities for maintaining stability and protecting civilians.

Weapons exclusivity plan and obstacles

Sources told Asharq Al-Awsat that Haykal will brief US officials on the reality of the army’s deployment in the south under the weapons exclusivity plan, as well as the obstacles hindering its completion, especially south of the Litani River.

They said the continued Israeli occupation remains a direct impediment to the army’s ability to fully assert control and carry out its assigned missions under agreed mechanisms.

The army commander will also outline, the sources said, the measures the military has taken to implement the state’s weapons exclusivity plan, as well as the practical challenges it faces on the ground amid the prevailing security situation and the sensitivity of the current phase.

He will stress the need for comprehensive political and international backing to ensure the plan’s success.

Beyond south of the Litani

As anticipation grows in Lebanon and abroad over the next phase of weapons exclusivity north of the Litani, and amid objections voiced by Hezbollah officials, the sources said Haykal’s Washington visit will also address the post–south Litani phase.

He will explain the military’s vision for completing deployment, consolidating stability, and reactivating the “mechanism” committee, including the format of meetings and coordination procedures in the coming phase, on condition that Israel withdraws from occupied Lebanese territory.

In this context, ministerial sources said President Aoun stressed during the meeting the importance of Haykal focusing in his talks on the need for severe international pressure on Israel to withdraw, enabling the army to perform its role fully and paving the way for the release of Lebanese detainees and the restoration of lasting calm in the south.

Paris conference

The Paris conference expected on March 5 to support the Lebanese army will also feature in Haykal’s US meetings.

The conference has been postponed several times and is closely tied to the army’s implementation of the weapons exclusivity plan.

President Aoun had asked security agencies two weeks ago to prepare detailed reports on their needs so participants would be fully informed, helping the conference meet its objectives.

Haykal is scheduled to meet US Central Command (CENTCOM) Commander General Brad Cooper at the command’s headquarters in Tampa, Florida, to discuss military and security cooperation between Lebanon and the US. Discussions will also cover the mechanism committee.

He will then travel to Washington on Tuesday, February 3, to hold a series of security and diplomatic meetings with US officials, members of Congress, and White House officials through February 5.

Mechanism meeting on February 25

The developments come as Israeli attacks continued, including a strike that killed one person in the southern Lebanese town of Siddiqine after his car was targeted.

At the same time, the US embassy in Beirut announced that the mechanism committee will convene on February 25, following a one-month suspension of its meetings and reports suggesting it could be dissolved.

Writing on X, the embassy stated that the US Embassy in Beirut and US Central Command reaffirm that the military coordination framework, as established in the cessation of hostilities agreement announced on November 27, 2024, remains in place and fully operational, with the same objectives, participants, and leadership.”

The embassy added that the next mechanism meeting will be held in Naqoura on February 25, 2026, with subsequent meetings scheduled for March 25, April 22, and May 20, stressing that “these meetings serve as a core forum for military coordination among the participating parties.”

Arab World

Lebanon Enforces Funds Checks Despite Hezbollah Objections

Lebanon’s Justice Minister Adel Nassar. (NNA)
Lebanon’s Justice Minister Adel Nassar. (NNA)
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Lebanon Enforces Funds Checks Despite Hezbollah Objections

Lebanon’s Justice Minister Adel Nassar. (NNA)
Lebanon’s Justice Minister Adel Nassar. (NNA)

A circular issued by Lebanon’s Justice Minister Adel Nassar, now in force, has placed notaries public on the front line of the country’s fight against money laundering, requiring them to verify the source of funds and the identities of parties involved in sales contracts, purchase agreements, and powers of attorney.

The measure, which took effect at the start of this year, is aimed at curbing the cash economy and boosting transparency in line with international standards on combating money laundering and terrorism financing.

It has also reignited and intensified a political campaign by Hezbollah, which says the move tightens pressure on the party and its support base.

The law requires notaries to carry out several key tasks, notably verifying that parties to transactions are not listed on national or international sanctions lists, refraining from completing any transaction if that proves otherwise, and notifying the Justice Ministry and the Special Investigation Commission at Lebanon’s central bank.

The circular also stresses the need to verify the source of funds and to state it explicitly in the transaction or contract, and to refrain from drafting or certifying any document if it is not possible to establish the identity of the beneficial owner.

The measure targets all those listed on the US sanctions lists and mainly affects Hezbollah, its officials, and its institutions. The party considers the step part of what it describes as a US blockade against it and says it strips citizens of their civil rights.

Hezbollah Secretary General Sheikh Naim Qassem said the justice minister was “not a judicial police officer for America and Israel” and should stop preventing citizens from completing their transactions.

Qassem asked: “Has Lebanon turned into a prison for its citizens under American management? Is the justice minister or the governor of the central bank an employee of the American administration in Lebanon’s American prison?”

The circular has moved beyond political and legal objections raised against it. The justice minister said all notaries had complied with its requirements since implementation began at the start of the year, noting ongoing coordination to address practical issues that emerged during execution.

Nassar told Asharq Al-Awsat that meetings had been held between representatives of notaries and the Special Investigation Commission at the central bank, during which mechanisms and standards were clarified.

He said an office within the commission had also been designated to respond to notaries’ inquiries and provide necessary information while transactions are being processed.

The minister said the measures put Lebanon on a path of transparency and would positively affect the Financial Action Task Force's view of the country’s situation.

He described the circular as part of a package of steps adopted by the state to exit the FATF gray list or at least avoid being placed on the blocklist, adding that the measure was a key factor in curbing money laundering without infringing on the civil rights of sellers or buyers.

Hezbollah continued its attack on those involved in the decision.

MP Ali Fayyad said in a speech to parliament during budget discussions that the justice minister, the foreign minister, and the central bank governor were “carrying out a systematic strangulation of our community, sheltering behind the law while overstepping it.”

“We are a people subjected to daily assassination by Israel, and there are those inside who are pouncing on us,” he said.

A number of those affected have filed an appeal before the Shura State Council seeking to annul the circular, arguing that its provisions are not practically applicable and that they impose responsibilities on notaries that exceed their legal authority.

The appellants warned that the circular could turn notaries into quasi-judicial police officers and entangle them in political and security matters unrelated to their work.

Despite objections that have reached the level of accusing anyone who complies with international anti-money laundering standards of treason, the justice minister said there would be no retreat from the circular.

He stressed that it meets international compliance requirements while providing notaries with a legal protective framework that shields them from future accountability if they adhere to the specified procedures.

Some notaries acknowledged that implementation has entered a practical phase, even if conditions and standards sometimes differ from one notary to another. One pointed to inconsistencies between notaries’ procedures and those of the land registry in property registration.

He told Asharq Al-Awsat that verifying the source of funds has become an established procedure, carried out in coordination with the Special Investigation Commission at the central bank.

“There is no doubt that many of the ambiguities that accompanied the issuance of the circular are gradually becoming clearer with implementation,” he said.