Tunisian Party Calls on President, Political Leaders to Step Down

Tunisian President Kais Saied. (AP)
Tunisian President Kais Saied. (AP)
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Tunisian Party Calls on President, Political Leaders to Step Down

Tunisian President Kais Saied. (AP)
Tunisian President Kais Saied. (AP)

Tunisia’s Al Chaab Yourid party, led by Najd al-Khalfaoui, called on President Kais Saied and various political leaders to resign and admit their failure to find a solution for the political impasse in the country.

In a statement, the party called on General Mohamed Salah al-Hamdi, who resigned from his position as presidential national security adviser, to run for the next presidential elections, scheduled for 2024.

However, the party criticized Hamdi’s neutral position in face of the imminent danger threatening the state.

It also condemned a number of retired military figures harboring political aspirations, who had submitted a message to the president, entitled “The Last Hope to Save the Country.”

The letter sparked widespread political debate about the possible involvement of the military in politics, after years of impartiality.

Khalfaoui said Tunisians “have observed the political rivalries within the illegitimate parliament after a report on the legislative and presidential elections revealed fundamental violations that affect the integrity and transparency of the electoral process.”

He called on all political parties, including the president, to allow the people to decide their future through early legislative and presidential elections, adding, however, that the electoral law must also be amended.

The party reminded the president of his pledge to the youth during his electoral campaign, “to return to its rightful owners” in the event of his failure to achieve their will and demands.

Al Chaab Yourid party was officially established last March and was accused of being close to the president because it has adopted a slogan similar to his campaign slogan.

However, Khalfaoui asserted that some presidential advisors were part of the party's founding council before their withdrawal, which means they have ended their affiliation with the presidency.



Israeli Jets Attack Syria-Lebanon Border Crossings to Stop Arms Smuggling

 Lebanese army members stand near rubble at a damaged site after the ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah, in the Lebanese village of Khiam, December 23, 2024. (Reuters)
Lebanese army members stand near rubble at a damaged site after the ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah, in the Lebanese village of Khiam, December 23, 2024. (Reuters)
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Israeli Jets Attack Syria-Lebanon Border Crossings to Stop Arms Smuggling

 Lebanese army members stand near rubble at a damaged site after the ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah, in the Lebanese village of Khiam, December 23, 2024. (Reuters)
Lebanese army members stand near rubble at a damaged site after the ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah, in the Lebanese village of Khiam, December 23, 2024. (Reuters)

Israeli jets struck seven crossing points along the Syria-Lebanon border on Friday, aiming to cut the flow of weapons to the Iranian-backed Hezbollah group in southern Lebanon.

Israeli troops also seized a truck mounted with a 40-barrel rocket launcher in southern Lebanon, part of a haul from various areas that included explosives, rocket-propelled grenade launchers and AK-47 automatic rifles, the military said.

The commander of the Israeli Air Force, Major General Tomer Bar, said Hezbollah was trying to smuggle weapons into Lebanon to test Israel's ability to stop them.

"This must not be tolerated," he said in a statement.

Under the terms of a Nov. 27 ceasefire agreement, Israel is supposed to withdraw its troops from southern Lebanon in phases while unauthorized Hezbollah military facilities south of the Litani River are to be dismantled.

However, each side has accused the other of violating the agreement, intended to end more than a year of fighting that began with Hezbollah missile strikes on Israel in the aftermath of the Hamas-led attack of Oct. 7, 2023, from Gaza.

On Thursday, the United Nations peacekeeping force in Lebanon called for Israeli forces to withdraw, citing what it said were repeated violations of the deal.

Israel, which destroyed large parts of Hezbollah's missile stocks during weeks of operations in southern Lebanon, has said it will not permit weapons to be smuggled to Hezbollah through Syria.

Israel has also conducted attacks against the Iranian-backed Houthi militias in Yemen in recent days and pledged to continue its campaign against Iranian-backed militant groups across the region.