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Arab World

Lebanon Releases Israeli Citizen Held in Detention for a Year

This picture taken from a position in northern Israel, near the border with Lebanon, shows an Israeli flag (L) on a destroyed building, and a Lebanese flag (R) painted on a damaged building in the southern Lebanese village of Mais al-Jabal on November 25, 2024, amid the ongoing war between Israel and Hezbollah. (AFP)
This picture taken from a position in northern Israel, near the border with Lebanon, shows an Israeli flag (L) on a destroyed building, and a Lebanese flag (R) painted on a damaged building in the southern Lebanese village of Mais al-Jabal on November 25, 2024, amid the ongoing war between Israel and Hezbollah. (AFP)
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Lebanon Releases Israeli Citizen Held in Detention for a Year

This picture taken from a position in northern Israel, near the border with Lebanon, shows an Israeli flag (L) on a destroyed building, and a Lebanese flag (R) painted on a damaged building in the southern Lebanese village of Mais al-Jabal on November 25, 2024, amid the ongoing war between Israel and Hezbollah. (AFP)
This picture taken from a position in northern Israel, near the border with Lebanon, shows an Israeli flag (L) on a destroyed building, and a Lebanese flag (R) painted on a damaged building in the southern Lebanese village of Mais al-Jabal on November 25, 2024, amid the ongoing war between Israel and Hezbollah. (AFP)

An Israeli citizen detained in Lebanon has been returned to Israel after more than a year in detention, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office said on Thursday. 

There was little information given about the man, identified as Salah Abu-Hussein, an Arab citizen of Israel. His imprisonment had not garnered public attention in Israel or Lebanon. 

Israeli media reported that the man’s family had reported him missing around a year ago and was unaware he was in Lebanon, reported The Associated Press. 

Lebanon's General Security agency said in a statement that Abu-Hussein was held after crossing the border into Lebanon illegally. It said he was trying to leave Israel “due to his unwillingness to live there" and was arrested by Lebanon's Army Intelligence forces. 

“After conducting the necessary investigation, under the supervision of the competent judiciary, no security suspicions were proven against him,” the statement said. Due to his nationality, Abu-Hussein could not be “deported or released as is the standard procedure for non-Lebanese who enter illegally.” He was eventually handed over to the International Committee of the Red Cross to be returned. 

At the time of his crossing, Israeli forces and the Lebanese militant group Hezbollah were engaged in ongoing low-level clashes in the border region, which escalated into a full-scale war in September 2024. It was halted by a US-brokered ceasefire two months later. 

Abu-Hussein's release was negotiated in secret over the past few months in cooperation with the Red Cross, according to Gal Hirsch, Netanyahu’s coordinator for the Hostages and the Missing, who is also Israel’s point of contact for the hostages in Gaza. 

On Thursday, Lebanese Authorities handed Abu-Hussein to Hirsch at the Rosh Hanikra crossing between Lebanon and Israel, which is not open to the public. 

Lebanon and Israel do not have diplomatic relations and Israeli citizens are prohibited from entering Lebanon under Lebanese law, with rare exceptions for Palestinians holding Israeli citizenship. 

Netanyahu hailed the return of Abu-Hussein. “This is a positive step and a sign of things to come,” he said after Abu-Hussein returned. 

There was no official comment from the Lebanese government on his release apart from the General Security statement. 

A group advocating for Lebanese citizens held in Israeli prisons denounced the move. The Representative Committee of Lebanese Prisoners and Freed Prisoners said in a statement that 19 Lebanese citizens are imprisoned in Israel and called the release of the Israeli citizen by Lebanon “blatant betrayal.” 

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Arab World

Amnesty Calls for 'War Crimes' Probe into Israeli Destruction of South Syria Homes

The disengagement zone in the Golan between Syria and Israel (Archive - Reuters)
The disengagement zone in the Golan between Syria and Israel (Archive - Reuters)
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Amnesty Calls for 'War Crimes' Probe into Israeli Destruction of South Syria Homes

The disengagement zone in the Golan between Syria and Israel (Archive - Reuters)
The disengagement zone in the Golan between Syria and Israel (Archive - Reuters)

Amnesty International said on Thursday that the Israeli army's destruction of civilian homes in southern Syria since the fall of longtime ruler Bashar al-Assad should be investigated as "war crimes".

Israel moved its forces into a UN-patrolled demilitarized zone on the Israeli-occupied Syrian Golan Heights after Assad's December 2024 toppling by opposition forces.

It has also launched hundreds of strikes on Syria and carries out regular incursions into the country's south where it demands a demilitarized zone, said AFP.

"The Israeli military's deliberate destruction of civilian homes" in southern Syria's Quneitra province since December 2024 "with no absolute military necessity, should be investigated as war crimes", Amnesty said in a statement.

"Israel has an obligation to make reparations for these serious violations of international humanitarian law," the rights group added.

Amnesty said that the day Assad fell, Israeli forces entered three villages and towns in the UN-demilitarized zone in Quneitra province, "conducting home raids and ordering residents to leave".

"Over the following six months, the Israeli military destroyed or damaged at least 23 civilian structures in three villages," Amnesty said, adding that witnesses described the buildings as "their and their neighbors' homes".

The rights group said it used satellite imagery to verify damage and destruction to 23 structures in the villages.

"Securing Israel's border cannot be used to justify bulldozing and blowing up people's homes and villages on the territory of another country," Kristine Beckerle, Amnesty's deputy regional director for the Middle East and North Africa said in the statement.

Israeli operations in south Syria have continued even as the new authorities in Damascus have held talks with Israeli officials in recent months as they edge towards a security agreement after decades of hostilities.

Israel has occupied most of Syria's Golan Heights since 1967, annexing it in 1981 in a move not recognized by most of the international community.

Arab World

Egypt Launches Digital Visa at Cairo Airport to Ease Tourist Entry

Egyptian Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly after the signing of two agreements to manage and operate the new digital system at Cairo airport on Wednesday (Egyptian Cabinet Facebook page)
Egyptian Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly after the signing of two agreements to manage and operate the new digital system at Cairo airport on Wednesday (Egyptian Cabinet Facebook page)
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Egypt Launches Digital Visa at Cairo Airport to Ease Tourist Entry

Egyptian Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly after the signing of two agreements to manage and operate the new digital system at Cairo airport on Wednesday (Egyptian Cabinet Facebook page)
Egyptian Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly after the signing of two agreements to manage and operate the new digital system at Cairo airport on Wednesday (Egyptian Cabinet Facebook page)

Egypt will begin issuing instant digital visas at Cairo International Airport in August, as part of efforts to facilitate tourist entry into the country, ahead of expanding the service to other airports.

President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi affirmed last week Egypt’s keenness to continue developing the tourism sector to reach a target of receiving 30 million tourists a year.

The government says it is working to “strengthen mechanisms to drive more inbound tourism and facilitate procedures related to tourists’ entry and departure through all airports and various points of entry.”

Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly spoke on Wednesday about the importance of the new system during a ceremony to sign two agreements on the “management and operation of the newly introduced digital system” for obtaining visas on arrival at Cairo airport.

He said the system supports the state’s efforts to improve the tourist experience from the moment of arrival and to facilitate procedures at airports, as part of efforts to raise the quality of tourism services and in line with the state’s strategic direction to strengthen digital transformation.

According to a Cabinet statement, the signing of the two agreements marks a step toward the actual launch of the newly introduced system, scheduled to be rolled out across all terminals at Cairo International Airport next August, ahead of a gradual expansion and the generalization of the experience across all airports.

The Cabinet said the system is expected to help reduce airport congestion by allowing travelers to obtain visas on arrival quickly and smoothly, replacing the paper stamp currently in use.

Last month, government data showed that Cairo airport “continued to achieve positive growth rates in travel movement during the first quarter of 2026, both in passenger numbers and flights, compared with the same period in 2025.”

The data showed that the number of flights rose by 10% to 59,400, compared with 54,000, while passenger numbers increased by 9.5% to 8.1 million, compared with 7.4 million.

Facilitating procedures

Ahmed Wahid, a member of the Egyptian Tourism Federation, spoke of the advantages of introducing the instant digital visa, saying it would “help facilitate procedures for visitors and reduce waiting times and congestion inside airports.”

He told Asharq Al-Awsat that procedures for obtaining stamps and entry visas had previously taken a long time, adding that he expected the new facilitation measures to help attract larger numbers of tourists in the coming period.

Asked about the readiness of all airports to implement the system, Wahid said: “The new step aims to restructure and digitize all airports.”

He added: “The renewal will take time, but applying it at Cairo airport as a first phase is an important step.”

Civil Aviation Minister Sameh el-Hefny told a Senate session on Tuesday that efforts were ongoing to modernize the civil aviation sector, including improving the efficiency of the airport system, increasing its capacity, and upgrading services provided to travelers in line with international practices.

Egypt has 23 airports, and the government aims to increase annual passenger capacity from 66.2 million to 109.2 million by 2030, according to official data. Cairo, Hurghada, Sharm el-Sheikh and Marsa Alam airports topped the list of Egyptian airports receiving the largest numbers of tourists in 2025.

Boosting tourism

According to the Cabinet statement on Wednesday, visitors seeking to obtain the digital visa will enter their details via self-service machines at airports and entry points, the system’s official website, or a mobile phone application.

The statement said visitors will pay the visa fee and service charges electronically through the channels available on the system.

The visa stamp will then be issued as a QR code, which passport control officers will scan to verify its validity and match the traveler’s information. The visa can also be obtained 48 hours before arrival or through tourism companies.

On efforts to boost tourism, particularly amid regional tensions, Wahid said: “There are government instructions to companies and all those working in tourism to facilitate all procedures for tourists, in addition to President Sisi’s directives to reach 30 million tourists annually. All of this will help increase arrivals to the country in the coming period.”

He added: “There are therefore major moves underway, especially with the efforts made over the past year, including improving hotel standards and paying attention to archaeological sites.”

Egypt relies on tourism as one of its most important sources of national income. The government announced last week that tourism had recorded a monthly growth of 20% since the start of this year, compared with the same period in 2025.

The Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities also said last week that “2025 ended with significant growth in tourism movement, reaching 21% compared with 2024.”

 

Arab World

Minnawi: We Were Forced to Take Up Arms as Sudan Crumbles

Minni Arko Minnawi, head of the Sudan Liberation Movement and Governor of Darfur region (Asharq Al-Awsat)
Minni Arko Minnawi, head of the Sudan Liberation Movement and Governor of Darfur region (Asharq Al-Awsat)
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Minnawi: We Were Forced to Take Up Arms as Sudan Crumbles

Minni Arko Minnawi, head of the Sudan Liberation Movement and Governor of Darfur region (Asharq Al-Awsat)
Minni Arko Minnawi, head of the Sudan Liberation Movement and Governor of Darfur region (Asharq Al-Awsat)

From the heart of Sudan’s war and its tangled complexities, Minni Minnawi, head of the Sudan Liberation Movement and governor of Darfur, justified his forces’ participation in the conflict alongside the Sudanese army as “a necessity imposed by the nature of the targeting of the Sudanese people, their history and their land.”

He said the Rapid Support Forces had committed the country’s gravest crimes, stressing that Sudan is collapsing under the weight of war.

As the humanitarian tragedy worsens and displacement and destruction spread, Minnawi acknowledged that speaking of “achievements” amid such devastation seemed far removed from reality. He said the war had drained everything, from lives to resources.

Minnawi told Asharq Al-Awsat that the parties that joined the fighting had done so “under compulsion,” explaining that the targeting was not limited to those taking part in the war, but also extended to civilians and the foundations of life across Sudan.

He criticized the slow implementation of the Juba Peace Agreement for Sudan, expressing regret over what he described as a “major weakness” in its implementation.

He said no more than 20% of the agreement had been implemented in practice.

The agreement was signed in October 2020 between the Sudanese government and several armed movements, most notably the Justice and Equality Movement led by Jibril Ibrahim, the Sudan Liberation Movement led by Minnawi, and the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement - North, led by Malik Agar, under what was known as the Revolutionary Front Alliance.

It aimed to achieve peace and redistribute power and wealth.

In February 2023, the parties signed an updated addendum to complete outstanding provisions. But the outbreak of war on April 15 froze most of the agreement and split the signatory movements between the two sides of the conflict, leaving its future dependent on ending the war.

Regarding the security and humanitarian situation in Darfur, Minnawi said the region could not be separated from the broader Sudanese context, noting that the scale of deterioration in security varied from one area to another.

He accused the Rapid Support Forces of committing the “largest and gravest” crimes in Darfur, attributing this to what he described as the forces’ tribal foundations.

On the humanitarian front, Minnawi described conditions in displacement camps as “catastrophic,” particularly in Darfur.

He said basic services had almost completely collapsed, including education, health care, and public services, while citizens had been subjected to widespread looting and impoverishment.

Estimates indicate tens of thousands of people have been killed and more than 10 million displaced inside and outside Sudan.