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Lebanon Seeks to Contain Fallout from Amendment to UN Peacekeepers’ Mission

A general view shows a UN watchtower near a border fence that surrounds the divided village of Ghajar, with its northern part falling inside Lebanon and the south becoming part of the Israeli-annexed Golan Heights on September 7, 2022, as Israel lifts entry restrictions to the disputed village on the Lebanese border. (AFP)
A general view shows a UN watchtower near a border fence that surrounds the divided village of Ghajar, with its northern part falling inside Lebanon and the south becoming part of the Israeli-annexed Golan Heights on September 7, 2022, as Israel lifts entry restrictions to the disputed village on the Lebanese border. (AFP)
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Lebanon Seeks to Contain Fallout from Amendment to UN Peacekeepers’ Mission

A general view shows a UN watchtower near a border fence that surrounds the divided village of Ghajar, with its northern part falling inside Lebanon and the south becoming part of the Israeli-annexed Golan Heights on September 7, 2022, as Israel lifts entry restrictions to the disputed village on the Lebanese border. (AFP)
A general view shows a UN watchtower near a border fence that surrounds the divided village of Ghajar, with its northern part falling inside Lebanon and the south becoming part of the Israeli-annexed Golan Heights on September 7, 2022, as Israel lifts entry restrictions to the disputed village on the Lebanese border. (AFP)

Lebanese authorities sought to contain the fallout of the amendments introduced to the mission of the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) that is deployed in the country’s South, a Hezbollah stronghold.

At the request of the Lebanese government, the UN Security Council extended UNIFIL’s mandate for another year on August 31, with the adoption of Resolution 2650, but for the first time since 2006, it amended the mission of the peacekeeping force.

“The Council reiterates that UNIFIL does not require prior authorization or permission from anyone to undertake its mandated tasks, and that it is allowed to conduct its operations independently,” said UNIFIL.

“It calls on the parties to guarantee UNIFIL’s freedom of movement, including by allowing announced and unannounced patrols. The Council condemns the harassment and intimidation of UNIFIL personnel, as well as the use of disinformation campaigns against peacekeepers,” it added.

The rules of engagement in place since 2006 have stipulated that the Lebanese army accompany UNIFIL patrols in its areas of operation. The peacekeepers had been harassed and attacked by citizens in the past for allegedly taking photos of some locations and because their patrols had veered off their usual path.

Lebanese authorities have always sought to extend the UNIFIL mission without amendments. The position was reiterated by President Michel Aoun in June when he called on the Security Council to extend the peacekeepers’ term for another year.

He hailed at the time UNIFIL’s “vital” and “positive” role in maintaining regional and even international security.

The amendments therefore, came as a surprise to Lebanese authorities.

Ministerial sources told Asharq Al-Awsat that Lebanon had “turned the Security Council’s attention to” the negative impact of the move, “which may lead to clashes between the residents of the South and the peacekeepers.”

Lebanon has long sought to avoid such clashes by making sure that the army accompanies UNIFIL patrols, they added, remarking however that it has not approached the Council and UNIFIL command over the amendments.

Nothing is being prepared to that end either, they said, stressing the need for coordination and cooperation with the army.

UNIFIL carries out around 430 patrols a day. Soldiers are not always at hand to accompany the patrols. The incidents that have broken out between locals and the peacekeepers have almost always taken place whenever the army has been absent.

Locally, officials are trying to contain the fallout from the amendments.

The caretaker government has spoken to the UNIFIL command about the issue. Foreign Minister Abdallah Bou Habib said on Friday: “We agreed with the command that the amendments will not lead to changes in the rules of engagement.”

Defense Minister Maurice Slim met with UNIFIL commander Aroldo Lázaro on Thursday. Slim underscored the coordination between UNIFIL and the army in line with resolutions 425, 426 and 1701.

He stressed the need to maintain the coordination and cooperation between the two sides to “preserve calm and stability in the South.”

Meanwhile, Hezbollah slammed the changes.

Hezbollah official and Iranian supreme leader Ali Khamenei’s representative in Lebanon, Mohammed Yazbek condemned the amendments.

“This is a dangerous development that turns the peacekeeping force into an occupying one,” he warned.

He also claimed that the amendments allow the peacekeepers to protect Israel and “spy on the people and resistance [Hezbollah].”

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Arab World

Hamas Shifts Its Center of Gravity to Türkiye, Seeks Rapprochement with Syria

Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan meets a Hamas delegation led by Khalil al-Hayya in Istanbul. (Hamas)
Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan meets a Hamas delegation led by Khalil al-Hayya in Istanbul. (Hamas)
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Hamas Shifts Its Center of Gravity to Türkiye, Seeks Rapprochement with Syria

Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan meets a Hamas delegation led by Khalil al-Hayya in Istanbul. (Hamas)
Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan meets a Hamas delegation led by Khalil al-Hayya in Istanbul. (Hamas)

Hamas has shifted much of its organizational center of gravity toward Türkiye in recent months, according to meetings, activities and public positions by the group, after years in which it kept its operations there at a distance and reduced its presence.

The shift has coincided with statements of condemnation and solidarity after bombings in Syria, whose new government Hamas is seeking to approach.

The clearest sign of Hamas’s growing reliance on Ankara came in May, when the group chose Türkiye as the venue for internal elections to select the head of its political bureau. The vote ended without a decisive result.

Three Hamas sources abroad told Asharq Al-Awsat that the group had recently resumed holding its meetings in Türkiye, after using the Qatari capital Doha in recent years for meetings and internal elections.

In recent years, Turkish security agencies have announced the dismantling of “espionage networks working for Israel’s Mossad”. Turkish media reports, citing investigations, said some of the networks’ activities involved tracking Hamas members and activity in Türkiye, along with other missions.

Israel had repeatedly demanded that Türkiye deport senior Hamas figures, including prisoners freed in a 2011 exchange deal for Israeli soldier Gilad Shalit.

The most prominent among them was Saleh al-Arouri, deputy head of Hamas’s political bureau, who was in Türkiye from 2011 to 2015. He moved almost permanently to Beirut’s southern suburbs in 2017 and remained there until Israel assassinated him in January 2024.

The three sources said in separate accounts that the recent election for head of the political bureau, which ended without a decision, was held in Istanbul with leaders from the political bureau and the Shura Council present. They said the process would also resume there soon if the voting inside the Palestinian territories is completed after its recent renewal.

A dispute with Qatar?

The sources said the vast majority of Hamas leaders have recently been based in Türkiye and have stayed there for extended periods, including leaders whose families live in Qatar.

They said all meetings now being held, whether on ceasefire discussions, internal affairs or other files, are taking place in Türkiye.

Israel targeted a meeting of Hamas leaders in Doha last September. Hamas said its senior officials survived, but five of its members were killed, along with a member of Qatar’s security forces.

Asked by Asharq Al-Awsat whether the transfer of most meetings to Türkiye reflected security concerns or a dispute with Qatar, one senior source said: “This does not amount to a dispute with Qatar; rather, it came to ease the burden on Qatar in the face of US pressure, driven by Israel, demanding the expulsion of the movement’s leaders.”

A second source said: “The Hamas leadership still maintains a solid and strong relationship with Qatari officials, who continue to welcome the movement’s leadership.”

The third source said Türkiye was now a safer destination after the Israeli attack on Hamas leaders in Doha. “Israel, at least, cannot attack targets in Türkiye from the air, although it can carry out assassinations by other means. But its options are also limited,” the source said.

The source said the security situation in Qatar, amid continuing tension and strikes between Iran and the United States, could create a gap that Israel might exploit to carry out its plan to assassinate the group’s leaders, “as it did last time.”

Although Israel pledged to US President Donald Trump’s administration not to repeat the attack, the source said, “it cannot be trusted and may do it again.”

Moves toward Syria

The activity in Türkiye has notably coincided with two Hamas statements issued about a week apart, condemning two bombings in Damascus. The first took place near the Palace of Justice, while the second coincided with French President Emmanuel Macron’s visit to Syria.

Syria and Türkiye have had strong ties since the overthrow of ousted President Bashar al-Assad. Hamas’s condemnations came as Islamic Jihad, which is closely linked to Iran, remained silent.

In its statement condemning the first blast, Hamas said that “targeting innocent civilians and terrorizing peaceful people is a crime condemned by all standards, and serves only projects of chaos and the destabilization of security and stability.”

It offered condolences to “the families of the victims, and to the Syrian Arab Republic, its leadership, government and people.”

Hamas also declared its “full solidarity with sisterly Syria in confronting this crime” and said it was confident in “the ability of Syria, its leadership and people, to overcome this ordeal and preserve its security and stability.”

The second statement used almost the same language. Hamas said that “targeting Syria’s security and stability represents a blatant assault that serves suspicious agendas aimed at undermining the region’s security and stirring chaos in it.”

The senior Hamas source said “openness to the new Syrian government, or to other Arab, Islamic and international countries, is natural, since the movement is a national liberation movement seeking normal relations with everyone based on mutual respect, in line with the interests of each party, and in a way that guarantees everyone’s safety and non-interference in the affairs of others.”

Asked whether any further step was expected in the rapprochement, the source said: “So far, there is no plan for any official visit by a delegation from the movement, but such an option appears likely after the internal situation of the new government improves and it rearranges its domestic and foreign priorities.”

According to a source from one of the Palestinian factions that had been active in Syria before suspending its activities there, Hamas has what he described as “good relations with the Syrian government”.

The source said Hamas had mediated in cases involving Palestinians from several factions who were detained over their previous activities before being released and moving to other countries. Others, he said, were forced to leave voluntarily for several countries.

The Hamas sources declined to confirm or deny the information.

Arab World

Iraq Moves to Mend Gulf Ties, Al-Zaidi Proposes New Partnership

Iraqi Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi. (Reuters)
Iraqi Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi. (Reuters)
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Iraq Moves to Mend Gulf Ties, Al-Zaidi Proposes New Partnership

Iraqi Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi. (Reuters)
Iraqi Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi. (Reuters)

The Iraqi government is intensifying diplomatic engagement with its Arab neighbors, especially Gulf Arab states, ahead of an expected visit by Iraqi Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi to the United States.

It is an effort to strengthen regional and international partnerships, address economic and security issues, and recover funds linked to corruption cases.

As part of that push, Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Fuad Hussein began a visit to Kuwait at the head of a delegation that included the national security adviser, the governor of Basra and senior Foreign Ministry officials.

Hussein said in a post on X that the visit aimed to “discuss developing relations with Kuwait in a way that serves the interests of the two brotherly peoples.”

Hours after his arrival, Hussein said in a separate statement that Kuwaiti authorities had agreed to release Iraqi fishermen detained by the Kuwaiti coast guard last week. He said they would return to Basra province with the Basra governor after legal procedures were completed.

The Iraqi minister said the decision came in response to a request made by the Iraqi delegation during its meeting with Kuwaiti First Deputy Prime Minister and Interior Minister Sheikh Fahad Yusuf Saud al-Sabah.

A government source said the Iraqi government was “keen to maximize its relations with its Arab surroundings, especially the Gulf, which requires sending positive messages that reinforce this direction,” adding that the foreign minister carried several important files with him during the visit.

The source told Asharq Al-Awsat that the delegation also discussed economic files, including strengthening investment partnerships and the possibility of Kuwait supplying Iraq with gas to operate power plants, as Iraq faces chronic challenges in its energy sector, particularly during the summer months.

‘Iraq will not join any axis’

The diplomatic moves come as al-Zaidi prepares to visit the United States. In press remarks on Thursday, he said Washington’s release of cash dollar shipments to Iraq after a suspension lasting several months represented “a gesture of goodwill” toward Baghdad.

Al-Zaidi said his expected visit would include “an announcement of economic and political partnership with Washington,” adding that the two countries could expand the exchange of security information.

He stressed that Iraq “will not join any axis” amid regional tensions, but said Baghdad continued to seek to bring the United States and Iran closer together to help resolve their disputes and achieve stability in the region.

The prime minister said his foreign tour would not be limited to Washington and would be followed by visits to several Arab countries. He said it was “important for Iraq to be part of the Arab incubator.”

He added that Baghdad sought to establish an economic partnership with Saudi Arabia during an expected visit to Riyadh before heading to Damascus, citing the importance of strengthening economic cooperation with neighboring Syria.

On energy, al-Zaidi denied reports that Iraq intended to withdraw from OPEC, saying his country would remain a member of the organization but was seeking a “fair share” of oil exports.

Impact of Iranian influence

Observers say Iraq’s moves toward Gulf states are part of an effort to rebalance its foreign policy, alongside its opening to the United States, as the regional environment grows more complex.

Issam al-Fayli, a professor of political science at Mustansiriyah University, told Asharq Al-Awsat that the government faced the challenge of balancing Iranian influence inside Iraq with the prospects of relations with the United States.

He said the prime minister was “serious about limiting the influence of Iranian arms in preparation for a new Iraqi project based on economic openness and energy projects in the region.”

Ihsan al-Shammari, head of the Political Thinking Center, said Iraq could repair its relations with Gulf states if it adopted a new vision to redefine those ties, adding that previous governments had not achieved tangible progress on that front.

He said Baghdad needed to restore Gulf Arab trust by reducing the impact of Iranian influence and addressing the issue of armed factions, opening the way for broader economic and trade partnerships.

Ghalib al-Daami, a professor of political science at Mustansiriyah University, said “loose weapons” represented the biggest obstacle to developing relations with Gulf states. He said the current government appeared serious about fighting corruption and addressing the issue of armed factions.

Talib Mohammed Karim, a professor of political science, told Asharq Al-Awsat that Iraq had a real opportunity to strengthen relations with its Arab surroundings, especially Gulf states, amid regional shifts.

But he said the success of that path depended on the state’s ability to entrench stability, strengthen its sovereignty and provide an environment attractive to investment.

Muhannad Salloum, a professor of security studies, said Baghdad’s success in rebuilding trust with Gulf states first required the state to monopolize the use of force and address the issue of militias and armed factions.

Second, he said, Iraq needed to expand economic links with Gulf states through projects such as railway connectivity, the Development Road and security cooperation systems.

Third, it needed to take confidence-building steps, address mutual accusations of attacks that some Gulf states attribute to Iraqi factions, and strengthen mutual understanding between the two sides.

Arab World

US Resumed Cash Shipments to Baghdad, Says Iraq Govt Spokesperson

An Iraqi man walks past shops in the Jamila food market in Sadr City, east Baghdad on April 13, 2026. (AFP)
An Iraqi man walks past shops in the Jamila food market in Sadr City, east Baghdad on April 13, 2026. (AFP)
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US Resumed Cash Shipments to Baghdad, Says Iraq Govt Spokesperson

An Iraqi man walks past shops in the Jamila food market in Sadr City, east Baghdad on April 13, 2026. (AFP)
An Iraqi man walks past shops in the Jamila food market in Sadr City, east Baghdad on April 13, 2026. (AFP)

The United States has resumed cash shipments to Iraq after a delay, signaling its support for Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi's administration, with the premier expected in Washington later this month, a government spokesperson said Thursday.

Iraq's revenues from oil exports are largely held at the Federal Reserve Bank in New York, under an arrangement reached after the 2003 US-led invasion that toppled former ruler Saddam Hussein.

Under the system, payments for oil are made into dollar-denominated accounts in the US which are then either used to pay for imports or flow to Iraq as cash.

Earlier this year, Washington suspended the cash transfers to Iraq as it piled pressure on Baghdad to disarm Iran-backed armed groups, which launched hundreds of attacks on US facilities in Iraq during the Middle East war.

Iraqi officials downplayed the issues, saying the dollar shipments had ceased due to the closure of airspace and the security situation.

Government spokesperson Haidar al-Aboudi told AFP that cash "shipments have resumed some time ago".

"The resumption is a positive indicator" ahead of Zaidi's visit to Washington, Aboudi said, adding "we look at it through the lens of cooperation, coordination, and partnership."

Aboudi said that Zaidi's top priority in Washington would be "the economic partnership with the United States".

In May, a senior US State Department official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said the US was looking for "concrete actions" from Zaidi to distance the state from pro-Iran armed groups before resuming cash shipments and security aid to the country.

Zaidi, who only recently took office with the blessing of the United States, has vowed to ensure a state monopoly on weapons and urged armed groups to hand over their weapons to the state.

During his visit to Washington, the first since he took office in April, Zaidi hopes to attract more US investment to Iraq, which urgently needs to revive its economy, especially after revenue losses caused by the halt of oil exports during the Middle East war.

Iraq, a founding member of OPEC, was greatly affected by the war.

It is hugely dependent on oil exports, which make up about 90 percent of its budget revenues, while the vast majority of its crude travels via the Strait of Hormuz.