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Lebanese Director Briefly Held in Beirut for Filming Movie in Israel

Lebanese director Ziad Doueiri holds up his French and Lebanese passports outside the Military Tribunal in Beirut on September 11, 2017. (AFP)
Lebanese director Ziad Doueiri holds up his French and Lebanese passports outside the Military Tribunal in Beirut on September 11, 2017. (AFP)
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Lebanese Director Briefly Held in Beirut for Filming Movie in Israel

Lebanese director Ziad Doueiri holds up his French and Lebanese passports outside the Military Tribunal in Beirut on September 11, 2017. (AFP)
Lebanese director Ziad Doueiri holds up his French and Lebanese passports outside the Military Tribunal in Beirut on September 11, 2017. (AFP)

Lebanese director Ziad Doueiri was briefly detained by his country’s authorities for a trip to Israel he made six years ago where he filmed one of his movies.

He was detained on Sunday night as he arrived at Beirut’s Rafik Hariri International Airport. He was interrogated for 90 minutes and appeared the next day before State Commissioner to the Military Court Judge Saqr Saqr.

Doueiri had stayed in Israel between 2011 and 2012 where he was filming “The Attack,” a movie that was banned by Lebanon and most Arab states.

Lebanon and Israel are in a state of war and Beirut bans its citizens from visiting Israel or having business dealings with Israelis.

"The Attack" is about a Palestinian surgeon living in Tel Aviv who discovers that a suicide attack in the city that killed 17 people was carried out by his wife. The movie was filmed in Israel and featured several Israeli actors.

Paris-based Doueiri, director of the award-winning civil war film "West Beirut,” had visited Lebanon several times since traveling to Israel.

Doueiri told reporters after three hours of questioning at the military court in Beirut Monday that authorities found that he has "no criminal intentions against the Palestinian cause."

His latest film, "The Insult," opens in Lebanon this week, after winning the best actor award at the Venice Film Festival earlier this month.

Doueiri said that Kamel al-Basha, the Palestinian awarded best actor at the Venice Film Festival, spent two years in Israeli jails. He said some journalists are trying to undermine him ahead of the film showing in Beirut, which begins on Thursday.

Lebanese journalist Pierre Abi Saab, who is opposed to any dealings with Israel, wrote a column in the daily al-Akhbar last week titled "Ziad Doueiri, apologize for your Israeli slip." He said that Doueiri spent months in Israel to film "The Attack," spending money there and speaking to Israeli media defending his movie amid criticism in Lebanon.

"Today, Ziad Doueiri is coming on a white horse from Venice with a new movie expecting us to carry him on our shoulders and welcome him as a conqueror," Abi Saab wrote. "We will not accept that the crime be covered," he wrote, referring to Doueiri's visits to Israel.

Doueiri lashed back against critics who accused him of normalization with the Jewish state, saying Monday that his work is for the good of Lebanon and the Palestinian cause.

Speaking to reporters outside the military court, Doueiri said he was well treated by Lebanese security agencies during his brief detention but blasted journalists he refused to name "that are fabricating things to block the new movie." He said they used "dirty words against some people and accused them of being Zionists."

"My mother breastfed me Palestinian milk and the Palestinian cause. Members of my family were killed while fighting with the Palestinians," Doueiri stated.

When a journalist asked him a question about normalization of relations with Israel through art, Doueiri responded angrily "I struggled for the Palestinian cause before you were born." He then told the journalist that he will not respond to his questions.

Culture Minister Ghattas Khoury tweeted in Arabic that "Ziad Doueiri is a great Lebanese director who has been honored around the world. Respecting and honoring him is a must #Lebanon."

Doueiri's lawyer, Najib Lyan, told reporters that after three hours at the military court his client was released without charges. He said some people envy Doueiri's international fame.

He said that in court, Doueiri was told that he visited Israel without permission from Lebanese authorities. Lyan asserted Doueiri had told authorities at the time that he planned to visit Israel for a movie he is working on, but never got a response.

"The Insult is the pride of Lebanon's industry. We in Lebanon do Hummus and Shawerma well, and we do very good movies as well," Doueiri stressed referring to national dishes.

“Ziad is against normalization and he supports the Palestinian cause. The Attack was filmed in Israel to expose the practices committed against the Palestinians,” his mother and lawyer Wafiqa Mansour told Asharq Al-Awsat.

“Is a person who blows himself up in Israel a resistance fighter or someone who has normalized ties with it?” she asked.

“Ziad went there on a mission to expose Israeli practices as demonstrated by their displeasure with the film. Some even asked how he was even allowed to shoot there because he was tarnishing their image,” she added.

She questioned the timing of her son’s brief detention, noting that he visited Lebanon during the past five years.

“This reveals that some sides are bothered by his international success. They do not deserve a reply from us,” she stressed, saying that their actions stem from spite and jealousy.

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Arab World

Yemen PM Announces Comprehensive Reform Plan with Saudi Support

Zindani government holds first meeting after ministers return to Aden (Saba News Agency)
Zindani government holds first meeting after ministers return to Aden (Saba News Agency)
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Yemen PM Announces Comprehensive Reform Plan with Saudi Support

Zindani government holds first meeting after ministers return to Aden (Saba News Agency)
Zindani government holds first meeting after ministers return to Aden (Saba News Agency)

Yemen’s new government convened its first cabinet meeting on Thursday in the temporary capital Aden, with Prime Minister Shayea al-Zindani presiding after ministers completed their return to the country to resume duties, in what officials cast as the start of a hands-on push to stabilize security, revive services and shore up a battered economy with broad Saudi backing.

The meeting coincided with remarks by Presidential Leadership Council member Abdulrahman al-Mahrami, who warned against unrest in Aden, in an apparent reference to attempts led by elements of the dissolved Southern Transitional Council. “We will not allow any attempts to destabilize public order or drag our city into chaos or futile conflicts,” he said.

At the cabinet’s first meeting following its return to Aden, Zindani stressed that “there is no room for any government member to remain outside the country,” affirming that the government would be present on the ground, living among the population and addressing their daily needs, in a move aimed at restoring public trust and strengthening direct government performance.

The Yemeni prime minister, who also retains the foreign affairs portfolio, said his government would enter a new phase of field-based work from Aden, emphasizing that the next stage would rely on direct engagement with citizens, enhancing the effectiveness of state institutions and achieving tangible improvements in services and economic and security stability.

He said improvements in some basic services in recent weeks were not temporary, but the result of disciplined measures and practical reforms, alongside significant Saudi support, which he said had once again proven to be a pillar of the Yemeni state and a key partner in achieving peace and ensuring stability. He added that Saudi moves in support of the Yemeni people were consistent with international law.

Zindani said the government was working to ensure the sustainability of service delivery so that citizens feel a real and lasting difference, not a fleeting improvement, noting that the coming phase would include serious steps to combat corruption, enhance transparency and enforce the law as key pillars for building effective state institutions.

Reforms on all fronts

On the economic front, Zindani announced that the government would present a realistic 2026 budget for the first time in years, giving top priority to the regular payment of public-sector salaries as a legal and moral obligation.

Measures would also be taken to curb inflation and contain the erosion of citizens’ purchasing power, thereby easing living burdens.

On the security and military fronts, he said the government was committed to removing all military camps from Aden and other cities and to unifying military and security decision-making under the state’s authority, to strengthen stability and prevent multiple centers of influence.

He stressed the importance of respecting rights and equality for all citizens, and of not allowing calls that promote chaos or threaten public order.

Regarding the southern issue, the prime minister expressed confidence that south-south dialogue would open a genuine window to address it, calling on southerners to abandon the rhetoric of treason and avoid fueling strife and grudges, and to entrench a culture of tolerance and move beyond past conflicts.

He said southerners are the ones concerned with determining their present and future through dialogue, away from the imposition of individual or factional will, stressing there was no room to politicize or diminish the southern issue, which he described as a national cause concerning all Yemenis.

On the peace track, Zindani said the state retained all options to restore its institutions if the Houthis remained intransigent, while affirming that the internationally recognized government continues to extend its hand for peace and to end the Houthi coup, alongside efforts to launch a broad process of reconstruction, development and modernization.

Gradual work

Upon his arrival at Aden International Airport, Zindani said the government’s return to the country represents a practical commitment to shoulder national responsibilities and directly address accumulated challenges facing citizens, particularly amid difficult economic conditions and the repercussions of the ongoing war.

In his first interview after being sworn in as prime minister, Zindani said his government would soon relocate to Aden, noting that being inside the country was not a symbolic step but a prerequisite for effective decision-making and restoring the regular functioning of state institutions.

Speaking to Asharq Al-Awsat, he said the current phase “does not tolerate broad rhetoric,” but requires gradual work to rebuild trust and restore institutional rhythm, stressing that improving living conditions, services, and economic recovery are urgent priorities.

He justified retaining the foreign affairs portfolio as necessary to complete organizational and diplomatic reforms he had previously begun.

Zindani said his cabinet was formed based on professional criteria, away from quota-based arrangements, with a focus on competence, specialization and national balance.

Economically, he adopted what he described as a realistic tone, avoiding quick promises, and said recovery requires restructuring financial administration, controlling resources, enhancing transparency and activating oversight.

He said unifying political and military decision-making would enable state institutions to enforce the law, make accountability possible and give the government a more cohesive negotiating position in any upcoming peace process with the Houthis.

No tolerance for unrest

In support of Zindani’s government, Presidential Leadership Council member Abdulrahman al-Mahrami said security and stability in Aden would remain a non-negotiable priority.

He stressed that no attempts would be allowed to undermine public order or drag Aden into chaos and futile conflicts.

In a statement on his official X account, he reaffirmed that Aden’s security and stability will remain a priority and the government will accept no compromise or negligence.

"We will not allow any attempts to destabilize public order or drag our city into chaos or futile conflicts, without detracting from the political path of the south and its cause," he said.

He added: “We look forward to a South-South dialogue sponsored by Riyadh. It is a historic opportunity that we value and hold on to, and we thank the Kingdom’s leadership for it. We also affirm our full support for the government headed by Dr. Shayea al-Zindani, urging all its members to provide services and improve living conditions in a way that citizens can feel.”

Al-Mahrami pledged to follow up on performance “with care, transparency and responsibility,” calling on “everyone to unite, reject rumors, strengthen the spirit of national responsibility and stand together to protect the capital and safeguard state institutions.”

He added: “We trust that all understand the importance of preserving security and stability as the foundation for government and institutional work and the provision of services, away from political direction or exploitation by any party to harm people’s lives and increase their suffering, without detracting from our just cause.”

Arab World

Rafah Crossing Traffic Lags Two Weeks after Reopening

Humanitarian and relief aid crosses Rafah Crossing (Egyptian Red Crescent)
Humanitarian and relief aid crosses Rafah Crossing (Egyptian Red Crescent)
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Rafah Crossing Traffic Lags Two Weeks after Reopening

Humanitarian and relief aid crosses Rafah Crossing (Egyptian Red Crescent)
Humanitarian and relief aid crosses Rafah Crossing (Egyptian Red Crescent)

Despite nearly two weeks since the reopening of the Rafah crossing in both directions, the number of people and humanitarian aid entering the Gaza Strip falls short of what was agreed under the “Gaza ceasefire agreement,” according to an official from the Egyptian Red Crescent in North Sinai.

The daily movement of individuals to and from Gaza does not exceed 50 people, Khaled Zayed, head of the Egyptian Red Crescent in North Sinai, told Asharq Al-Awsat. He said this figure represents only one-third of what was agreed upon in the ceasefire deal.

He added that truck traffic stands at about 100 per day, despite Gaza’s population requiring the entry of around 600 trucks daily.

On Feb. 2, Israel reopened the Rafah crossing on the Palestinian side for individual travel, allowing Palestinians to leave and return to the enclave. Indicators show that most of those departing Gaza are patients and wounded individuals, who are being received at Egyptian hospitals.

This comes as Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty stressed the need to “ensure the unhindered delivery of humanitarian aid and not obstruct movement through the Rafah crossing.”

In his remarks during a ministerial Security Council session on developments in the Middle East on Wednesday, he underscored the importance of “halting all measures aimed at displacing residents or altering the demographic character of the occupied Palestinian territories.”

Israel took control of the Rafah border crossing in May 2024, about nine months after the outbreak of the war in Gaza. The reopening of the crossing was part of the first phase of the ceasefire agreement that entered into force last October, though the deal remains fragile.

The Egyptian Red Crescent announced the departure of the 14th group of wounded, sick, and injured Palestinians arriving and leaving through the crossing.

In a statement on Thursday, it said humanitarian efforts to receive and see off Palestinians include a comprehensive package of relief services, psychological support for children, distribution of suhoor and iftar meals, and heavy clothing, in addition to providing “return bags” for those heading back to Gaza.

At the same time, the Red Crescent dispatched the 142nd “Zad Al-Ezza” convoy, which includes 197,000 food parcels and more than 235 tons of flour as part of the “Iftar for One Million Fasters” campaign in Gaza.

The convoy also carries more than 390 tons of medicines, relief, and personal care supplies, as well as about 760 tons of fuel, according to the organization’s statement.

Zayed said the daily number of individuals crossing through Rafah over the past two weeks does not compare with what was stipulated in the ceasefire agreement.

With the reopening of the Rafah crossing on the Palestinian side, Israel’s Arabic-language public broadcaster Makan reported that 150 people were expected to leave Gaza, including 50 patients, while 50 people would be allowed to enter the enclave.

Despite what he described as Israeli obstacles, Zayed said allowing the movement of individuals and the wounded represents “an unsatisfactory breakthrough in the humanitarian situation in Gaza,” stressing the need to fulfill the ceasefire’s obligations and advance early recovery efforts inside the territory.

The total number of Palestinians who have left through the Rafah crossing since it reopened on both sides does not exceed 1,000, according to Salah Abdel Ati, head of the International Commission to Support Palestinian Rights.

He said around 20,000 wounded and sick Palestinians require urgent evacuation, and that Israeli restrictions are hindering access to medical care, adding that the humanitarian situation requires continued pressure by mediators on Israel.

Abdelatty told Asharq Al-Awsat he was counting on the outcome of the first meeting of the Board of Peace to adopt easing measures, including lifting Israeli restrictions and establishing guarantees for the ceasefire in the Palestinian territories, as well as securing the funding needed for Gaza’s early recovery, in line with US President Donald Trump’s peace plan for the enclave.

According to a statement by the Egyptian Red Crescent, Egypt continues relief efforts at all logistical hubs to facilitate the entry of humanitarian aid, which has exceeded 800,000 tons, with the participation of more than 65,000 volunteers from the Egyptian Red Crescent.

Arab World

US Slaps Sanctions on Sudan’s RSF Commanders over El-Fasher Killings

FILE - A Sudanese child, who fled el-Fasher city with family after Sudan's RSF attacked the western Darfur region, receives treatment at a camp in Tawila, Sudan, Nov. 2, 2025. (AP Photo/Mohammed Abaker, File)
FILE - A Sudanese child, who fled el-Fasher city with family after Sudan's RSF attacked the western Darfur region, receives treatment at a camp in Tawila, Sudan, Nov. 2, 2025. (AP Photo/Mohammed Abaker, File)
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US Slaps Sanctions on Sudan’s RSF Commanders over El-Fasher Killings

FILE - A Sudanese child, who fled el-Fasher city with family after Sudan's RSF attacked the western Darfur region, receives treatment at a camp in Tawila, Sudan, Nov. 2, 2025. (AP Photo/Mohammed Abaker, File)
FILE - A Sudanese child, who fled el-Fasher city with family after Sudan's RSF attacked the western Darfur region, receives treatment at a camp in Tawila, Sudan, Nov. 2, 2025. (AP Photo/Mohammed Abaker, File)

The United States announced sanctions on Thursday on three Sudanese Rapid Support Forces (RSF) commanders over their roles in the "horrific campaign" of the siege and capture of El-Fasher.

The US Treasury said the RSF carried out "ethnic killings, torture, starvation, and sexual violence" in the operation.

Earlier Thursday, the UN's independent fact-finding mission on Sudan said the siege and seizure of the city in Darfur bore "the hallmarks of genocide."

Its investigation concluded that the seizure last October had inflicted "three days of absolute horror," and called for those responsible to be brought to justice.

"The United States calls on the Rapid Support Forces to commit to a humanitarian ceasefire immediately," US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said in a statement.

"We will not tolerate this ongoing campaign of terror and senseless killing in Sudan."

The Treasury noted that the three sanctioned individuals were part of the RSF's 18-month siege of and eventual capture of El-Fasher.

They are RSF Brigadier General Elfateh Abdullah Idris Adam, Major General Gedo Hamdan Ahmed Mohamed and field commander Tijani Ibrahim Moussa Mohamed.

Bessent warned that Sudan's civil war risks further destabilizing the region, "creating conditions for terrorist groups to grow and threaten the safety and interests of the United States."

The UN probe into the takeover of El-Fasher -- after the 18-month siege -- concluded that thousands of people, particularly from the Zaghawa ethnic group, "were killed, raped or disappeared."