Bahrain’s King: Any Threat to Freedom of Navigation Is Disruption to World Trade

Bahrain’s King Hamad Al Khalifa during the second session of the fifth Legislative Term of the Shura and Representatives councils (BNA)
Bahrain’s King Hamad Al Khalifa during the second session of the fifth Legislative Term of the Shura and Representatives councils (BNA)
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Bahrain’s King: Any Threat to Freedom of Navigation Is Disruption to World Trade

Bahrain’s King Hamad Al Khalifa during the second session of the fifth Legislative Term of the Shura and Representatives councils (BNA)
Bahrain’s King Hamad Al Khalifa during the second session of the fifth Legislative Term of the Shura and Representatives councils (BNA)

Bahrain’s King Hamad bin Isa al-Khalifa warned on Sunday that any threat to freedom of navigation is considered a disruption to world trade and oil prices and a challenge to the global order.

King Hamad was speaking at the second session of the fifth Legislative Term of the Shura and Representatives councils.

“One-fifth of the world’s oil and gas supply is launched from the waters of the Arabian Gulf, and any threat to the freedom of navigation is therefore considered a disruption to world trade, a disturbance to oil prices, and a challenge to the global order,” he said.

The monarch urged the international community to come together to take firm steps to deter aggressors and force them to respect international maritime safety laws and treaties, in order to maintain international peace and security.

He asked the government and authorities to uphold the rule of law and establish its sovereignty, by continuing to advance the justice sector, its institutions, services, and procedures.

Bahrain continues to pay close attention to the oil and gas sector in light of the major discoveries recently announced, King Hamad stated, adding that authorities will accelerate the pace of development of such projects.

A series of major development projects will also be launched, including the largest expansion of the Bapco refinery, the expansion of Banagas, the opening of the liquefied gas terminal Alba’s Line 6 project, and the operation of the new pipeline with Saudi Arabia.

“In light of our serious endeavors towards a modern, knowledge-based economy, we direct the government to undertake the development of a comprehensive national plan to ensure that we are fully prepared to meet the needs of the digital economy,” urged the King.

He explained that this could be achieved through the adoption of artificial intelligence technologies in the production and service sectors and implementation of necessary systems and technical frameworks. It addition, it can be attained through encouraging quality investments, in order to guarantee the maximum benefit to Bahrain’s national economy, he concluded.



Uncertain Future for the PFLP-GC in Post-Assad Syria

Syrian President Ahmed Al-Sharaa with Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas in Damascus on April 18 (AP) 
Syrian President Ahmed Al-Sharaa with Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas in Damascus on April 18 (AP) 
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Uncertain Future for the PFLP-GC in Post-Assad Syria

Syrian President Ahmed Al-Sharaa with Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas in Damascus on April 18 (AP) 
Syrian President Ahmed Al-Sharaa with Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas in Damascus on April 18 (AP) 

The brief detention of Talal Naji, Secretary-General of the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine – General Command (PFLP-GC), by Syrian authorities has renewed scrutiny over the status of Palestinian factions still operating in Syria, particularly those that aligned with the former Assad regime.

Naji’s arrest and swift release come amid a major political realignment following the collapse of Bashar al-Assad’s government in December 2024. Once one of the most active and heavily armed Palestinian groups in Syria, the PFLP-GC now faces an uncertain future, along with other factions that were long tolerated—or even supported—under Assad’s rule.

A well-informed Palestinian source, speaking on condition of anonymity, told Asharq Al-Awsat that the new Syrian administration has appointed a figure known as Abu Abdul Rahman al-Shami to oversee the file of Palestinian factions. Since assuming the role, al-Shami has convened multiple meetings with faction representatives, including regular attendees from the PFLP-GC, to discuss the fate of their fighters, weapons, property, and military infrastructure.

According to the source, al-Shami has made it clear that the new government intends to hold accountable any individuals or groups implicated in crimes against Syrian civilians during the civil war. Palestinian factions have been instructed to surrender all weapons and military equipment, and to limit their activities to humanitarian and relief work. The PFLP-GC, the source said, has largely complied.

Despite the fall of the Assad regime, Naji and much of the PFLP-GC’s second- and third-tier leadership have remained in Syria. Its offices in Damascus reportedly continue to operate, though under heightened scrutiny. Other faction leaders, however, have fled. Among them are Khaled Abdul Majid (Popular Struggle Front), Ziyad al-Saghir (Fatah–Intifada), Mohammad al-Saeed (Liwa al-Quds), and Saed Abdel Al (Free Palestine Movement). Most are believed to have sought refuge in Lebanon.

Sources confirmed that several PFLP-GC fighters have been detained in recent weeks in connection with alleged war crimes committed during their cooperation with Assad’s forces. The Syrian government has also moved to seize faction offices and military installations across the country, including properties belonging to Fatah–Intifada, the Free Palestine Movement, and the Sa’iqa Forces. Sa’iqa’s leader, Mohammad Qais, remains in Syria.

In a further blow, authorities have reportedly frozen bank accounts belonging to some Palestinian factions, both in state and private banks, although it remains unclear whether the PFLP-GC is among them.

Additionally, it is widely believed that the PFLP-GC has handed over its military training camps, which were previously spread across Damascus countryside, Daraa, Aleppo, and Suwayda. “The situation is extremely sensitive, and everyone is anxious,” one Palestinian source told Asharq Al-Awsat. “It’s likely they’ve surrendered those sites.”

The sense of unease deepened last month when Syrian authorities detained two senior Islamic Jihad officials in Damascus: Khaled Khaled, head of the group’s Syria bureau, and Abu Ali Yasser, its chief organizational officer. Both remain in custody, and no official charges have been announced.

The current atmosphere of fear and uncertainty has driven faction leaders to avoid public comment. Most now insist on anonymity when speaking to local or international media.

Before the outbreak of the Syrian uprising in March 2011, Syria hosted more than a dozen Palestinian factions. As the conflict escalated, the Assad regime encouraged the formation of new pro-regime groups, composed largely of Palestinian refugees, to fight alongside its forces.