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Israel's Army Commander to Visit Morocco Next Week

In this file photo taken on June 21, 2021, Israeli army Chief of Staff Aviv Kohavi salutes during a US official ceremony in his honor at the Pentagon in Washington, DC. (AFP)
In this file photo taken on June 21, 2021, Israeli army Chief of Staff Aviv Kohavi salutes during a US official ceremony in his honor at the Pentagon in Washington, DC. (AFP)
    Ramallah, Rabat - Asharq Al-Awsat
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Israel's Army Commander to Visit Morocco Next Week

In this file photo taken on June 21, 2021, Israeli army Chief of Staff Aviv Kohavi salutes during a US official ceremony in his honor at the Pentagon in Washington, DC. (AFP)
In this file photo taken on June 21, 2021, Israeli army Chief of Staff Aviv Kohavi salutes during a US official ceremony in his honor at the Pentagon in Washington, DC. (AFP)

Israeli army Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Aviv Kohavi will visit Morocco next week, in the first trip by an Israeli military commander to the north African nation, said Israeli media.

On Friday, the army said Kohavi would make a three-day visit to an Arab nation, but it didn’t specify the destination for "security reasons".

The announcement was made following a security meeting with US President Joe Biden who visited to Israel’s advanced missile-defense systems at its main international airport on Friday. Israel showed off a multilayered system and the new "Light Shield."

An Israeli source said Kohavi will seek to develop military cooperation with Morocco.

Rabat has played a key role in the Israeli decision to give Palestinians around-the-clock access to the Allenby Bridge border crossing with Jordan.

Transportation Minister Merav Michaeli had been working with Moroccan officials, alongside US and Palestinian teams, for the past several months to find a solution to keep the crossing open around the clock.

Michaeli publicly thanked Biden, as well as King Mohammad VI and Morocco "for their continued commitment and efforts to promote peace and prosperity in the Middle East."

The Hebrew-language Channel 7 said this step was pushed further in the wake of Biden's visit, and it is expected to be implemented once the logistical conditions are met, including the recruitment of the required workforce.

It is part of a series of steps promoted by Michaeli to bolster regional ties and cooperation, shifting Israel into a major power in transporting passengers, workers and goods, as well as boosting its economy.

The two countries agreed in December 2020 to resume diplomatic ties and relaunch direct flights - part of a deal brokered by the administration of former US President Donald Trump that also included Washington’s recognition of Moroccan sovereignty over Western Sahara.

In the same year, Israel normalized ties with the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain as part of the Abraham Accords.

Earlier this year, Kohavi traveled to Bahrain on a first official trip. Also during that visit, Kohavi reportedly met with his Qatari counterpart.

Kohavi’s term as chief of staff will end in January 2023.

Five Israeli ministers have visited Morocco recently, namely Defense Minister Benny Gantz, Foreign Minister Yair Lapid, Minister of Science and Technology Orit Farkash-Hacohen, Minister of Economy and Industry Orna Barbivay, and Interior Minister Ayelet Shaked.

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Arab World

Revenge Attacks in Rural Damascus Raise Human Rights Concerns

Syrian security forces in Umayyad Square, Damascus, on January 8. (AFP)
Syrian security forces in Umayyad Square, Damascus, on January 8. (AFP)
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Revenge Attacks in Rural Damascus Raise Human Rights Concerns

Syrian security forces in Umayyad Square, Damascus, on January 8. (AFP)
Syrian security forces in Umayyad Square, Damascus, on January 8. (AFP)

Residents of Dummar, a suburb west of Damascus, publicly celebrated the execution of former local official Mazen Knaineh on Friday, raising alarm among civil society and human rights activists.

They called for justice and warned against lawless acts of revenge by armed groups.

Local sources said Knaineh had ties to Syrian security forces under former President Bashar al-Assad, particularly Branch 215, accused of killing detainees. Opposition figures claim he aided government raids on Dummar and Hameh in 2016.

The execution was reportedly carried out by armed locals who recently joined the new administration’s security forces. Residents had demanded his death, blaming him for the loss of many family members.

The incident has fueled calls to stop revenge killings and ensure justice is pursued legally in Syria’s fragile post-conflict period.

Civil society activists have raised concerns over the growing trend of extrajudicial executions in Syria, warning that such acts undermine the hopes of building a “new state” grounded in law and justice.

Lawyer and civil rights activist Rahada Abdosh expressed strong opposition to field executions, stating they are not a path to healing.

“Revenge will only bring more destruction to the country,” she told Asharq Al-Awsat.

“The abuse of corpses and the execution of individuals in front of children and their families is particularly troubling.”

Abdosh emphasized the need for specialized courts to prosecute those responsible for violence and bloodshed.

“We must hold everyone accountable for the harm they’ve caused,” she added.

Ahe warned that allowing groups to take action based on public complaints or accusations of crimes could repeat the abuses of the Assad regime, which carried out executions without trials.

She said this could “legitimize” the regime’s actions and noted that some accusations might be driven by personal revenge or unverified claims, risking more innocent victims.

Abdosh called on the current government to stop individual executions and abuses, urging the creation of a field court for fair trials. She stressed that transitional justice must include both acknowledging the crimes and offering compensation.

“Anything outside the law is a crime, and could be considered a war crime,” she added, highlighting that this could harm the government’s efforts to rebuild the country.

Sources close to Damascus military operations told Asharq Al-Awsat that there is increasing public pressure on the new administration to quickly deliver justice.

They noted that many families are grieving and impatient, while the government continues work on restoring security, disarming groups, and rebuilding, which will take time.

Civil activist Salma Al-Sayyad expressed her empathy for the grieving families in Dummar but warned that emotional reactions like vigilante justice could harm innocent people and fuel revenge.

“While I understand their pain and their desire for justice, I fear this could lead to more injustice,” she told Asharq Al-Awsat.

Al-Sayyad called for a future Syria based on the rule of law, where justice is carried out through fair trials, clear evidence, and a judge.

“We need an independent judicial system,” she emphasized.

In related developments, Syria’s military operations launched a large security campaign in rural Damascus, targeting individuals connected to the ousted regime.

This has led to clashes in areas like Qudsayya, where former regime officers and loyalist fighters are concentrated.