Syria: Rami Makhlouf Attacks War Profiteers

A screenshot of Rami Makhlouf from his Facebook page (Reuters)
A screenshot of Rami Makhlouf from his Facebook page (Reuters)
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Syria: Rami Makhlouf Attacks War Profiteers

A screenshot of Rami Makhlouf from his Facebook page (Reuters)
A screenshot of Rami Makhlouf from his Facebook page (Reuters)

Syrian businessman and cousin of President Bashar al-Assad Rami Makhlouf attacked war profiteers, saying they are devising “diabolical plans” to take over everything in Syria.

Makhlouf plans to attend the meeting to elect the new board of directors of Syriatel Mobile Telecom, of which he owned most of the shares. He indicated that he would publish a new video if he wasn’t arrested after attending the meeting.

In the newly released video on his Facebook page, Makhlouf explained that the judicial custody currently controlling Syriatel wants to sue the former management of the company and elect a new board of directors.

Makhlouf accused “war profiteers” who took control over the mobile company of “stealing subscribers' money”, adding that Syriatel employees were fired because they belong to or have ties with the opposition. A number of employees were also let go because they are from areas that aren't under the regime’s control, according to Makhlouf.

The video came in response to released information that Syriatel increased its revenues after Rami Makhlouf was dismissed.

The company announced its revenues for the first five months of 2021 which amounted to about 145 billion, compared to 77 billion in previous years.

Makhlouf said that the new management believes this to be “a matter of returning the people’s looted money,” noting that the increase in revenues happens in two ways, either through offers or raising prices, neither of which happened during the last period.

He indicated that only experts could reveal how people's money was looted, however, anyone who audits Syriatel will be arrested.

Makhlouf also hinted at Iran's unwillingness to contribute to the financing of the third telecom operator in Syria, which the Ministry of Communications intends to launch.

The Ministry of Internal Trade and Consumer Protection announced at the end of May its decision to ratify the statute of Wafa Telecom to be the third operator of mobile phones in Syria, but the Ministry of Communications quickly denied that it had obtained the license.

Cellular communications in Syria are monopolized by the two companies Syriatel, which was owned by Makhlouf, and MTN, which has joint Lebanese and Syrian owners.



Jerusalem Patriarch Hails Pope’s Commitment to Gaza

Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem, Archbishop Pierbattista Pizzaballa speaks during a press conference at the Latin Catholic patriarchate at the Old City of Jerusalem, 22 April 2025. (EPA)
Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem, Archbishop Pierbattista Pizzaballa speaks during a press conference at the Latin Catholic patriarchate at the Old City of Jerusalem, 22 April 2025. (EPA)
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Jerusalem Patriarch Hails Pope’s Commitment to Gaza

Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem, Archbishop Pierbattista Pizzaballa speaks during a press conference at the Latin Catholic patriarchate at the Old City of Jerusalem, 22 April 2025. (EPA)
Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem, Archbishop Pierbattista Pizzaballa speaks during a press conference at the Latin Catholic patriarchate at the Old City of Jerusalem, 22 April 2025. (EPA)

The Latin patriarch of Jerusalem, Archbishop Pierbattista Pizzaballa, on Tuesday hailed Pope Francis's support for Gazans and engagement with the small Catholic community in the war-battered Palestinian territory.

The Catholic church's highest authority in the region, who is considered a potential successor to the late pontiff, Pizzaballa told journalists in Jerusalem that "Gaza represents, a little bit, all what was the heart of his pontificate".

Pope Francis, who died on Monday aged 88, advocated peace and "closeness to the poor... and to the neglected one", said the patriarch.

These positions became particularly evident in Francis's response to the Israel-Hamas war which broke out in October 2023, Pizzaballa said.

"He was very close to the community of Gaza, the parish of Gaza, he kept calling them many times -- for a certain period, also every day, every evening at 7 pm," said the patriarch.

He added that by doing so, the pope "became for the community something stable, and also comforting for them, and he knew this".

Out of the Gaza Strip's 2.4 million people, about 1,000 are Christians. Most of them are Orthodox, but according to the Latin Patriarchate, there are about 135 Catholics in the territory.

Since the early days of the war, members of the Catholic community have been sheltering at Holy Family Church compound in Gaza City, and some Orthodox Christians have also found refuge there.

Pope Francis repeatedly called for an end to the war. The day before his death, in a final Easter message delivered on Sunday, he condemned the "deplorable humanitarian situation" in the besieged territory.

"Work for justice... but without becoming part of the conflict," said Pizzaballa of the late pontiff's actions.

"For us, for the Church, it leaves an important legacy."

The patriarch thanked the numerous Palestinian and Israeli public figures who have offered their condolences, preferring not to comment on the lack of any official message from Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

Even as "the local authorities... were not always happy" with the pope's positions or statements, they were "always very respectful", he said.

Pizzaballa said he will travel to Rome on Wednesday, after leading a requiem mass for the pope at the Church of the Holy Sepulcher in Jerusalem in the morning.

As one of the 135 cardinal electors, the Latin patriarch will participate in the conclave to elect a new pope.

Pizzaballa, a 60-year-old Italian Franciscan who also speaks English and Hebrew, arrived in Jerusalem in 1990 and was made a cardinal in September 2023, just before the Gaza war began.

His visits to Gaza and appeals for peace since then have attracted international attention.