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Biden’s Agenda For Palestinians: Economic Support, Halting Settlement, Peace

President Biden’s visit to Israel and the West Bank carries “messages of peace”. (EPA)
President Biden’s visit to Israel and the West Bank carries “messages of peace”. (EPA)
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Biden’s Agenda For Palestinians: Economic Support, Halting Settlement, Peace

President Biden’s visit to Israel and the West Bank carries “messages of peace”. (EPA)
President Biden’s visit to Israel and the West Bank carries “messages of peace”. (EPA)

With the approach of US President Joe Biden’s visit to the Middle East, many questions arise about the issues that the American visitor would carry, and the expected outputs of his tour, in light of the escalating tension and instability in the “troubled region.”

In this context, according to information obtained by Asharq Al-Awsat from the White House, Biden is expected to discuss in Israel and the West Bank several key matters related to security and stability, increased economic support to the Palestinians, and finally, the consolidation of the diplomatic relations and the revival of the peace process.

The information indicates that discussions with Israeli leaders will touch on the security prosperity of Israel and means to boost integration in the wider region, while talks with Palestinian officials will focus on confirming strong US support for the two-state solution, with equal measures of freedom, security and opportunities for the Palestinian people.

US officials are concerned about the mounting violence, which has so far claimed the lives of more than 70 Palestinians, including Palestinian-American journalist Shireen Abu Aqleh, whose killing sparked widespread controversy. The US press releases also reported the concern of Biden and the entire national security team on this issue, which will also be on the agenda.

To correct the US-Palestinian relations, the White House has reportedly adopted three main steps over the course of nearly 18 months of diplomatic contact. The first is restoring diplomatic ties at the highest levels, and allowing the Palestinian diplomatic mission to return to Washington. Second, refinancing grants and humanitarian aid to the Palestinian people, through the US Agency for International Development (USAID) and UNRWA in Gaza and the West Bank, and finally, demanding Israel to stop settlement operations, and supporting the return of dialogue and the peace process between Israelis and Palestinians.

Washington has allocated half a billion dollars to the Palestinians within the first year of the current administration’s tenure. The president will make some additional funding announcements during his visit.

While the Biden administration supports steps of normalization between some Arab countries and Israel, it has a firm conviction that normalization between Israel and its neighbors in the Middle East “is not a substitute for Israeli-Palestinian peace.” The current administration is firmly committed to the two-state solution.

Moreover, the information obtained by Asharq Al-Awsat confirms that US officials have made several contacts with their Israeli counterparts, to oppose the demolition of buildings in the settlements and the evacuation of Palestinians. This issue will also be raised during Biden’s upcoming visit, with an emphasis on the need for Israelis and Palestinians to have “equal opportunities for freedom, security, prosperity and dignity.”

The information adds that the Biden administration has announced its opposition to unilateral measures that exacerbate tensions, and include incitement to violence through demolitions, the expulsion of Palestinian families from their homes in East Jerusalem, where they have lived for generations, and the destruction of property. It also demands that the Israeli side provide compensation to individuals, who were imprisoned on false charges of terrorist acts.

The United States has provided more than half a billion dollars to the Palestinians, including more than $417 million in humanitarian aid to Palestinian refugees through UNRWA and $75 million in economic support, as well as $41 million for the security sector, including $1 million for demining activities, and more than $20 million in food and humanitarian aid related to COVID-19.

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Sports

Egypt Say Police Officer Pushed Player, Team Director at World Cup

World Cup - CAF Qualifiers - Group A - Egypt v Ethiopia - Cairo International Stadium, Cairo, Egypt - September 5, 2025 Egypt players pose for a team group photo before the match REUTERS/Amr Abdallah Dalsh/File
World Cup - CAF Qualifiers - Group A - Egypt v Ethiopia - Cairo International Stadium, Cairo, Egypt - September 5, 2025 Egypt players pose for a team group photo before the match REUTERS/Amr Abdallah Dalsh/File
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Egypt Say Police Officer Pushed Player, Team Director at World Cup

World Cup - CAF Qualifiers - Group A - Egypt v Ethiopia - Cairo International Stadium, Cairo, Egypt - September 5, 2025 Egypt players pose for a team group photo before the match REUTERS/Amr Abdallah Dalsh/File
World Cup - CAF Qualifiers - Group A - Egypt v Ethiopia - Cairo International Stadium, Cairo, Egypt - September 5, 2025 Egypt players pose for a team group photo before the match REUTERS/Amr Abdallah Dalsh/File

The Egypt national team said a Dallas police officer pushed their director Ibrahim Hassan and player Trezeguet on Friday, as the two were attempting to take a photo with a World Cup fan.

Local media said the incident happened at the team hotel.

The Egyptian team were playing Australia in the round of 32 on Friday in Dallas at the tournament co-hosted by Canada, Mexico and the United States, Reuters reported.

"A man and his son went to take a photo with Ibrahim Hassan and Trezeguet, and the national team's director approved the request," Egypt's national team media officer Mohamed Morad told Reuters.

"However, a security officer intervened and pushed the fan, as well as Trezeguet and Ibrahim Hassan, even though the player and the team director were in their designated area. Ibrahim then asked the security officer to deal with the fan in a normal manner."

The Dallas Police Department said it was aware of a video circulating on social media showing a heated interaction involving one of its officers.

"The Dallas Police Department responded to an area hotel at the request of hotel security regarding an individual without event credentials attempting to gain access," said a statement posted to social media.

"It was later learned that the individuals weren’t displaying credentials properly which is a requirement.

"The situation was resolved on scene, and DPD met with representatives of the team to address their concerns. The matter has since been resolved."

 

Arab World

Wave of Apologies Prompts Reappraisal of Kadhimi's Government in Iraq

Former Iraqi Prime Minister Mustafa al-Kadhimi (AP)
Former Iraqi Prime Minister Mustafa al-Kadhimi (AP)
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Wave of Apologies Prompts Reappraisal of Kadhimi's Government in Iraq

Former Iraqi Prime Minister Mustafa al-Kadhimi (AP)
Former Iraqi Prime Minister Mustafa al-Kadhimi (AP)

After years of facing political and media accusations of corruption, former Iraqi Prime Minister Mustafa al-Kadhimi is witnessing an unusual development in Iraq’s political scene: a wave of public apologies from media and political figures who had accused him and his government of corruption or helped promote those allegations.

The apologies came after a "legal battle" that ended with court rulings in Kadhimi’s favor in several lawsuits he filed against his accusers, after the judiciary concluded that no evidence had been presented to substantiate the allegations against him. The rulings have reopened debate over his government’s record, coinciding with a broad anti-corruption campaign led by Iraq’s current government.

In the years following his departure from office, Kadhimi faced a widespread campaign accusing his government of involvement in corruption and mismanagement. The campaign included political figures, media personalities and social media activists.

Those close to Kadhimi, however, argued that much of the campaign was an extension of the political struggle that accompanied the transfer of power rather than being based on fully substantiated judicial cases.

“Legal battle”

Kadhimi’s lawyer, Amir al-Daami, said the defense team turned to the courts after what he described as a surge in direct accusations linking Kadhimi and his government to corruption without evidence.

He said the “fair legal battle,” as he called it, “ended with justice for the former prime minister,” adding that “the judiciary treated those cases as direct criminal accusations, not merely political opinions or expressions of positions.”

“All those who were sued were unable to prove what they attributed to Kadhimi, leading to court rulings in his favor,” Daami told Asharq Al-Awsat. He said the judiciary “drew a line between the right to political criticism and making corruption accusations without legal basis.”

The issue did not stop at court rulings. It also led some of Kadhimi’s most prominent critics to publicly reassess their positions.

Journalists, politicians and former lawmakers have apologized to the former prime minister, saying they “were wrong to treat circulated accusations as facts without possessing conclusive evidence,” according to recent statements.

Journalist Iyad al-Samawi, once one of Kadhimi’s fiercest opponents, said: “The facts that emerged prompted him to review his position, and fairness requires admitting error when facts change.”

He said, “Political disagreement should not lead to adopting accusations without proof.”

Observers say the apologies, whether they grow or remain limited, point to a shift in how Kadhimi’s time in office is being judged, especially after a legal process ended without specific accusations being proven in court. Others described the apologies as “a wave of changes and a new political mood in the country.”

A source close to the former prime minister told Asharq Al-Awsat that “more than 14 Iraqi figures” have so far reviewed their positions on Kadhimi and apologized to him.

Kadhimi took office at one of the most difficult moments in Iraq’s modern history. He came to power amid mass protests, an economic crisis, the broad influence of armed factions and the pressure of the COVID-19 pandemic.

During his term, his home was targeted in a drone assassination attempt. The Green Zone also saw demonstrations by armed factions that reached the perimeter of the government palace, reflecting the intensity of political polarization in the country at the time.

Supporters of Kadhimi’s government say it managed a sensitive transitional phase. They also say the state benefited from the Emergency Support for Food Security and Development Law, which provided major financial resources to cover spending when passing the general budget was not possible.

Some observers say those resources gave the following government financial room to maneuver. Kadhimi’s critics, however, say any assessment of that period should remain tied to a broader review of the economic and administrative policies his government pursued at the time.

Al-Zaidi and the corruption campaign

The debate comes as Iraqi Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi leads a broad anti-corruption campaign, during which he has repeatedly said he is prepared to pay with his life to continue on this path.

The campaign has reached senior officials and opened files described as among the most sensitive in years, amid public calls for investigations to continue without political or partisan considerations.

Al-Zaidi’s government is facing mounting political pressure as the investigations widen.

A drone spotted near the government palace in Baghdad has drawn wide attention. Security authorities said they handled the incident without incurring losses.

But an informed political source told Asharq Al-Awsat that some circles interpreted it as a warning from parties harmed by the anti-corruption campaign. There has been no official confirmation of that interpretation.

Sadrist movement leader Moqtada al-Sadr on Friday affirmed “the firmness of his position on reform and fighting corruption,” declaring full support for the government’s reform campaign while warning against targeting “reformers,” in a reference to al-Zaidi.

Al-Zaidi has appeared among citizens in a Baghdad shopping center in recent days, a move observers saw as an attempt to underscore his reliance on public support.

He has also repeatedly said he does not intend to establish a political party or run in the next elections, reinforcing the image of his campaign as a government project rather than an electoral one.

Ihsan al-Shammari, head of the Political Thinking Center, told Asharq Al-Awsat that any future settlements in corruption cases should remain within legal frameworks and differ from the political deals seen in previous stages.

He said recovering funds and holding those involved accountable should take place under the law and after all those responsible are exposed, not through political understandings.

Arab World

Israeli Army Measures in South Lebanon Restrict UNIFIL Movement

A UNIFIL patrol in Mansouri, southern Lebanon (AFP)
A UNIFIL patrol in Mansouri, southern Lebanon (AFP)
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Israeli Army Measures in South Lebanon Restrict UNIFIL Movement

A UNIFIL patrol in Mansouri, southern Lebanon (AFP)
A UNIFIL patrol in Mansouri, southern Lebanon (AFP)

Restrictions are tightening on the movement of UNIFIL peacekeepers still deployed in southern Lebanon, as their mandate is set to end at the close of this year.

Israeli military measures inside a security zone set up along the Lebanese border, stretching more than 10 km into Lebanese territory, have sharply reduced the force’s movement and left residents of three Christian villages trapped inside.

Multiple sources said Israeli forces last Wednesday moved gates that had stood at the border fence into Lebanese territory, placing them at forward points inside the security zone. It was the first practical step of its kind since 2000.

At that time, after withdrawing from southern Lebanon, the Israeli army moved the gates to the border fence and reinforced them in 2018 with concrete walls along large sections of the frontier.

The gates were later opened when Israeli forces began pushing into Lebanese territory in October 2024 during the expanded war with Hezbollah.

Restrictions squeeze UNIFIL movement

UNIFIL’s area of operations covers southern Lebanon, specifically the zone between the Litani River in the north and the Blue Line in the south along the Lebanese-Israeli border.

Dany Ghafari, UNIFIL’s spokesperson in Lebanon, said that “since March 2, 2026, the date the latest round of fighting broke out between Israel and Hezbollah, UNIFIL soldiers have often faced restrictions on their movement across large parts of their area of operations because of road closures, checkpoints and other measures, forcing some patrols to be suspended or delayed.”

“Despite these challenges, peacekeepers continue their work on the ground, monitoring the situation and reporting observed violations in line with Resolution 1701,” he said. “They also help facilitate the delivery of humanitarian aid to residents who need it most.”

Speaking to Asharq Al-Awsat, Ghafari said all parties must be reminded that they are required to “respect the freedom of movement of all UNIFIL patrols, logistical convoys and operational activities, because any restrictions imposed on them are a violation of UN Security Council Resolution 1701.”

He said the parties must also “meet their obligations to ensure the safety of these forces and UN property.”

No withdrawal from positions

Ghafari said UNIFIL remains at all its positions inside its area of operations and along the Blue Line.

He said the force is “doing what it can under the current conditions, monitoring developments on the ground, reporting them to the Security Council with full impartiality, securing access for humanitarian aid convoys and facilitating the work of humanitarian organizations.”

UNIFIL currently has about 7,500 troops from 47 countries.

Ghafari said coordination with the Lebanese army is “close, continuous and round-the-clock.”

“We carry out joint activities on land and at sea. The army is our strategic partner in implementing Resolution 1701,” he said.

“Through the liaison and coordination mechanism, UNIFIL communicates with Lebanon and Israel to contain tensions, prevent misunderstandings, and exchange information.”

In early June, a Serbian UNIFIL soldier was killed after shells landed on his position near Marjayoun in southeastern Lebanon, making him the seventh member of the international force to die since March.

A replacement coalition

The force is preparing to leave Lebanon after a presence dating back to the 1970s, following a UN Security Council decision adopted on Aug. 28, 2025.

The decision called for “reducing UNIFIL’s strength and withdrawing it in an orderly and safe manner starting on that date and within one year.”

Washington and Tel Aviv pushed for the decision, arguing that the force had proved ineffective. It had not prevented renewed fighting between Israel and Hezbollah, nor had it guaranteed that the border area would become free of weapons and armed groups.

French President Emmanuel Macron and Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni recently announced during a summit in Antibes that France and Italy intend to form a multinational “coalition” after UNIFIL’s mandate ends, with the aim of strengthening “Lebanon’s sovereignty.”

France’s Foreign Ministry told Al Hadath television that the multinational force would deploy in southern Lebanon with US support and the participation of several European countries.

It said the deployment would come at the request of the Lebanese authorities and would aim to support the Lebanese army in carrying out its duties and strengthening stability.

A force outside the United Nations

Sami Nader, director of the Mashreq Center for Strategic Affairs, said there is “a European will not to leave southern Lebanon without international forces.

But at the same time, a new experience similar to UNIFIL would not be viable, because it failed to stop the war and acted more like a cover for Hezbollah to expand and build its capabilities. It also failed to deter Israeli attacks.”

Speaking to Asharq Al-Awsat, Nader said that “any international force must have new and different tasks. For that reason, we rule out it being under the UN umbrella.”

He said he expected the formation of “an international force to support the army in implementing government decisions and the framework agreement, especially since its fourth clause paved the way for that by noting Lebanon’s request for support from the international community.”