New Decision to Seize Rami Makhlouf’s Assets in Syria

File photo of Rami Makhlouf
File photo of Rami Makhlouf
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New Decision to Seize Rami Makhlouf’s Assets in Syria

File photo of Rami Makhlouf
File photo of Rami Makhlouf

The Finance Ministry has seized the assets of a company owned by Rami Makhlouf, the cousin of Syrian President Bashar Assad, media sources revealed Friday.

A Syrian website published the Ministry’s decision to seize the assets of the “Abar Petroleum Service SAL offshore” company, which is registered in Beirut and manages the transfer of shipments of petroleum products, diesel, gasoline, and liquefied gas.

Makhlouf is on the list of US sanctions for supporting the Damascus regime.

The Ministry said Makhlouf violated the import rules by smuggling products worth 1.9 billion Syrian pounds without paying the charges and fees.

Makhlouf denies links to the company.

In December 2019, the general directorate of Syrian customs issued a decision to place the movable and unmovable property of Makhlouf and each of Baher al-Saadi, Mohammed Kheir al-Amrit, Ali Mohammed Hamzah and their wives, under preventive seizure.



Palestinian Prime Minister Says Palestinian Authority Should Run Gaza in Future

Palestinian Prime Minister Muhammed Mustafa and Norwegian Foreign Minister Espen Barth Eide attend a meeting of the Global Alliance for the implementation of the two-State Solution at Oslo City Hall in Oslo, Norway, January 15, 2025. (Heiko Junge/NTB/via Reuters)
Palestinian Prime Minister Muhammed Mustafa and Norwegian Foreign Minister Espen Barth Eide attend a meeting of the Global Alliance for the implementation of the two-State Solution at Oslo City Hall in Oslo, Norway, January 15, 2025. (Heiko Junge/NTB/via Reuters)
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Palestinian Prime Minister Says Palestinian Authority Should Run Gaza in Future

Palestinian Prime Minister Muhammed Mustafa and Norwegian Foreign Minister Espen Barth Eide attend a meeting of the Global Alliance for the implementation of the two-State Solution at Oslo City Hall in Oslo, Norway, January 15, 2025. (Heiko Junge/NTB/via Reuters)
Palestinian Prime Minister Muhammed Mustafa and Norwegian Foreign Minister Espen Barth Eide attend a meeting of the Global Alliance for the implementation of the two-State Solution at Oslo City Hall in Oslo, Norway, January 15, 2025. (Heiko Junge/NTB/via Reuters)

Palestinian Prime Minister Mohammad Mustafa said it “will not be acceptable” for any entity other than the Palestinian Authority to run the Gaza Strip in the future.

Mustafa made the comments on Wednesday as he visited Norway, one of three European countries that formally recognized a Palestinian state in May.

Hamas seized power in Gaza in 2007, confining the Palestinian Authority’s limited self-rule to parts of the Israeli-occupied West Bank. The US has called for a revitalized Palestinian Authority to govern both the West Bank and Gaza ahead of eventual statehood, which the Israeli government opposes.

“While we’re waiting for the ceasefire, it’s important to stress that it will not be acceptable for any entity to govern Gaza Strip but the legitimate Palestinian leadership and the government of the State of Palestine," Mustafa said.

He added that “any attempt to consolidate the separation between the West Bank and the Gaza Strip, or creating transitional entities, will be rejected.”

Mustafa stressed that “we should not leave Gaza to vacuum ... We are the government of Palestine, ready to hold our responsibilities in the Gaza Strip as we did before.”