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Pence: US Supports Two-State Solution

Jordanian King meets Pence on Sunday/Petra news agency
Jordanian King meets Pence on Sunday/Petra news agency
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Pence: US Supports Two-State Solution

Jordanian King meets Pence on Sunday/Petra news agency
Jordanian King meets Pence on Sunday/Petra news agency

The United States remains committed to a two-state solution, Vice President Mike Pence said during a meeting with Jordanian King Abdullah II in Amman on Sunday.

However, the vice president defended US President Donald Trump’s decision to recognize Jerusalem as the capital of Israel, describing his move as “historic.”

Pence added that the president also made clear in that decision, that the United States is committed to continue to respect Jordan’s role as the Custodian of holy site and that Washington takes no position on boundaries and final status. “Those are subject to negotiation.”

“And, as I’ve made clear to you and the President made clear to the world, the United States of America remains committed, if the parties agree, to a two-state solution. We are committed to restarting the peace process," the Vice President said.

For his part, the Jordanian King reminded the US official about his “deep concerns,” voiced during his visit to Washington last year, “from any US decision regarding Jerusalem, that does not come as a result of a comprehensive settlement to the Palestinian-Israeli conflict.”

The King asserted that Jerusalem is key to Muslims and Christians as it is to Jews.

On Sunday, the Israeli government took advantage from the Palestinian boycott to Pence’s visit by welcoming the vice president as a “close friend.”

Pence will become the first official in the position of VP allowed to deliver a speech in front of the Knesset on Monday.

The United List of Arab parties in the Israeli government decided to withdraw its 13 deputies from the Knesset when Pence starts his speech.

Arab Israelis are descendants of Palestinians who stayed on when Israel was created in 1948.

Pence had kicked off his Middle East tour on Saturday by first visiting Egypt where he met with President Abdel Fatah el-Sisi.

The visit is the first of a US official to the region since Trump’s decision to recognize Jerusalem as Israel's capital last month, which was met with Arab and worldwide rejections.

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Arab World

Iraq Closes Sheeb Border Crossing with Iran to Check Security

Security personnel stand near the Shalamsheh border crossing between Iraq and Iran, after Iraqi authorities ordered its closure as a precautionary measure following the latest drone attacks on Saudi Arabia, in Basra, Iraq, September 12, 2026. (Reuters)
Security personnel stand near the Shalamsheh border crossing between Iraq and Iran, after Iraqi authorities ordered its closure as a precautionary measure following the latest drone attacks on Saudi Arabia, in Basra, Iraq, September 12, 2026. (Reuters)
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Iraq Closes Sheeb Border Crossing with Iran to Check Security

Security personnel stand near the Shalamsheh border crossing between Iraq and Iran, after Iraqi authorities ordered its closure as a precautionary measure following the latest drone attacks on Saudi Arabia, in Basra, Iraq, September 12, 2026. (Reuters)
Security personnel stand near the Shalamsheh border crossing between Iraq and Iran, after Iraqi authorities ordered its closure as a precautionary measure following the latest drone attacks on Saudi Arabia, in Basra, Iraq, September 12, 2026. (Reuters)

Iraq has closed the busy Sheeb border crossing with Iran to review security and install detection equipment to stop the smuggling of prohibited materials, ‌an Iraqi ‌border official said ‌on ⁠Wednesday.

Sheeb would be ⁠closed to passengers, vehicles and commercial trucks until further notice, two other sources at the crossing said.

Iraq ⁠ordered the closure ‌of ‌another crossing with Iran, Shalamsheh, ‌in September as a ‌precaution after drone attacks on Saudi Arabia, two security sources said at ‌the time. Riyadh said the drones had been ⁠launched ⁠from Iraq.

The current security measures at Sheeb are weak and inadequate, the Iraqi border crossings official told Reuters.

Arab World

Arab League Chief Condemns Israeli Attacks on South Lebanon, Urges Action

Arab League Secretary-General Nabil Fahmy listens to a Lebanese Army officer pointing out areas occupied by Israeli forces in Zawtar al-Gharbiyeh, South Lebanon, alongside Social Affairs Minister Haneen Sayed (AP). 
Arab League Secretary-General Nabil Fahmy listens to a Lebanese Army officer pointing out areas occupied by Israeli forces in Zawtar al-Gharbiyeh, South Lebanon, alongside Social Affairs Minister Haneen Sayed (AP). 
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Arab League Chief Condemns Israeli Attacks on South Lebanon, Urges Action

Arab League Secretary-General Nabil Fahmy listens to a Lebanese Army officer pointing out areas occupied by Israeli forces in Zawtar al-Gharbiyeh, South Lebanon, alongside Social Affairs Minister Haneen Sayed (AP). 
Arab League Secretary-General Nabil Fahmy listens to a Lebanese Army officer pointing out areas occupied by Israeli forces in Zawtar al-Gharbiyeh, South Lebanon, alongside Social Affairs Minister Haneen Sayed (AP). 

Arab League Secretary-General Nabil Fahmy condemned Israeli attacks on South Lebanon as “unacceptable,” calling for concrete Arab action to support the country, strengthen its army and help displaced residents return home.

Fahmy made the remarks during a visit to the southern city of Tyre, where he met senior Lebanese Army officers at the Benoit Barakat barracks, accompanied by Social Affairs Minister Haneen Sayed.

Fahmy said he had chosen Lebanon as one of his first foreign destinations since taking office to see firsthand the challenges facing its people.

His visit to the south, he explained, was meant to reassure residents that the Arab world and the international community recognized their suffering and were prepared to provide tangible support.

He pointed to a September resolution by the Arab League’s ministerial council that addressed Lebanon’s crisis and its underlying causes, particularly repeated Israeli attacks on civilians and infrastructure.

After touring the town of Zawtar and the city of Nabatieh, Fahmy described the destruction he witnessed as “distressing.”

He accused Israel of systematically demolishing residential areas, seizing land and seeking to displace civilians, potentially paving the way for further occupation.

Despite the devastation, he expressed confidence that Lebanese residents would remain attached to their land.

The Arab League was working with the Lebanese government to explore reconstruction efforts and ways to restore stability, he added.

While rebuilding would require action across several sectors, Fahmy stressed that Arab solidarity could not be limited to statements of condemnation.

“This is the beginning of a sustained process, not the end of the road,” he said, reaffirming the League’s commitment to Lebanon.

Army seeks support, post-UNIFIL arrangements

Brig. Gen. Nicolas Tabet, commander of the Lebanese Army’s South Litani Sector, welcomed the visit as a sign of Arab solidarity at a time of mounting security and humanitarian challenges.

He said Israeli attacks had left widespread destruction and displaced thousands of Lebanese, while continued occupation and security threats prevented families from returning safely to their villages.

The situation was also hampering the army’s deployment to the internationally recognized border.

Tabet called for Arab and international pressure to halt Israeli attacks, secure a full withdrawal from Lebanese territory and uphold the country’s sovereignty.

Despite difficult conditions and limited resources, the army remained committed to its duties, he said, urging the Arab League to mobilize diplomatic support, strengthen the military and help rebuild the south.

He also called for lasting security arrangements after the mandate of the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) ends.

Such arrangements, developed with the UN and international partners, would be essential to preventing a security vacuum and implementing Security Council Resolution 1701.

Describing Fahmy’s visit as a rare and welcome gesture, Tabet said it offered reassurance that Lebanon had not been left to face its challenges alone.

Arab World

End of UNIFIL Mission Impacts Hundreds of Jobs in South Lebanon

Head of Mission and Force Commander of the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) Major General Diodato Abagnara of the Italian Army reviews the troops at the UNIFIL base, near Mansouri, Southern Lebanon, September 19, 2026. REUTERS/Mohamed Azakir
Head of Mission and Force Commander of the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) Major General Diodato Abagnara of the Italian Army reviews the troops at the UNIFIL base, near Mansouri, Southern Lebanon, September 19, 2026. REUTERS/Mohamed Azakir
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End of UNIFIL Mission Impacts Hundreds of Jobs in South Lebanon

Head of Mission and Force Commander of the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) Major General Diodato Abagnara of the Italian Army reviews the troops at the UNIFIL base, near Mansouri, Southern Lebanon, September 19, 2026. REUTERS/Mohamed Azakir
Head of Mission and Force Commander of the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) Major General Diodato Abagnara of the Italian Army reviews the troops at the UNIFIL base, near Mansouri, Southern Lebanon, September 19, 2026. REUTERS/Mohamed Azakir

As UNIFIL’s mandate in Lebanon draws to a close, the implications of its withdrawal extend beyond military and security operations to the labor market in southern Lebanon, where the mission’s decades-long presence has sustained hundreds of jobs and supported local businesses that depend on its demand for goods and services.

As job cuts begin ahead of the withdrawal process, which is set to gather pace at the end of this year, concerns are mounting over the economic and social impact on employees and their families, as well as on small and medium-sized businesses that depend on spending generated by the international force’s presence.

400 Local Employees Work for UNIFIL

According to UNIFIL spokesperson Candice Ardell, the mission currently employs around 400 local staff, most of whom are based in southern Lebanon, while some positions are based in Beirut.

In comments to Asharq Al-Awsat, Ardell said local employees perform a wide range of duties, from the technical work required to support the mission to security, translation, media, political and civil affairs, among other functions.

Most of these positions are based in the south. Many employees live in the area, while others commute to work from elsewhere, she added.

Ardell denied that job cuts had begun as part of UNIFIL’s force reduction and withdrawal process, explaining that the process was expected to start after Dec. 31, 2026.

Families Depend on UNIFIL Salaries

In the border town of Rmeish, 85 families still have members employed directly by UNIFIL on a permanent basis, earning monthly salaries on which they and their families depend for their livelihoods.

Milad Alam, a former Rmeish mayor, told Asharq Al-Awsat in an earlier interview that around 250 other families also have members working for companies contracted by UNIFIL, adding that they, too, stand to lose their monthly sources of income.

Researcher Mohammad Shamseddine said the number of people employed by or contracted to UNIFIL had fallen significantly, noting that the current workforce was well below the roughly 1,200 employees it had previously numbered.

Annual Losses Estimated at $45 Million to $55 Million

Economist Jassem Ajaka warned that UNIFIL’s withdrawal from southern Lebanon would have economic and financial repercussions extending well beyond the south, affecting the Lebanese economy as a whole. The fallout would include reduced foreign currency inflows, job losses and weaker trade and investment, while placing additional pressure on the state treasury.

In comments to Asharq Al-Awsat, Ajaka said UNIFIL’s annual budget stood at about $553 million, estimating that the withdrawal would result in a direct loss of $45 million to $55 million a year in foreign currency inflows, as international forces cease spending locally on contracts with domestic suppliers, restaurants, shops and supply chains.

Ajaka estimated that UNIFIL’s withdrawal would eliminate $15 million to $22 million in annual wages for Lebanese staff, whose average net annual compensation ranges from $15,000 to $25,000.

He estimated that UNIFIL’s withdrawal would add $25 million to $40 million in annual costs for the Lebanese treasury, as the Lebanese army takes over expenses previously covered through cooperation with the international force, putting further pressure on public finances and potentially widening the primary budget deficit.

The economist concluded saying that the real estate sector would be among the hardest hit, particularly in Naqoura, Tyre, Marjayoun and Bint Jbeil. The termination of hundreds of rental contracts held by UNIFIL’s civilian and military personnel could result in annual losses of $10 million to $18 million. He also warned that commercial and residential property values in affected areas could fall by 25% to 45%.