Indonesia Urges Respect for International Law After Peacekeepers Killed in Lebanon

United Nations peacekeepers with the UN Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) drive past a Lebanese army outpost in the area of Naqoura in southern Lebanon on March 27, 2026. (AFP)
United Nations peacekeepers with the UN Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) drive past a Lebanese army outpost in the area of Naqoura in southern Lebanon on March 27, 2026. (AFP)
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Indonesia Urges Respect for International Law After Peacekeepers Killed in Lebanon

United Nations peacekeepers with the UN Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) drive past a Lebanese army outpost in the area of Naqoura in southern Lebanon on March 27, 2026. (AFP)
United Nations peacekeepers with the UN Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) drive past a Lebanese army outpost in the area of Naqoura in southern Lebanon on March 27, 2026. (AFP)

Indonesia urged warring parties in the Middle East "to respect international humanitarian law" after three of its peacekeepers were killed in Lebanon.

"The safety of peacekeeping troops must be the top priority. All parties to the conflict are urged to respect international humanitarian law and ensure the security of peacekeeping personnel," defense ministry spokesman Rico Ricardo Sirait said in a statement.

Three United Nations peacekeepers from Indonesia were killed in two separate incidents in southern Lebanon after a bloody weekend in which Lebanese journalists and medics were killed in Israeli strikes.

Two peacekeepers were killed on Monday after an explosion from an unknown origin destroyed their vehicle near Bani Hayyan in south Lebanon, the UN Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) said in a statement. Two other soldiers were wounded in the blast.

Another Indonesian soldier was killed overnight Sunday into Monday when a projectile exploded near one of the group's positions close to the southern Lebanese village of Adchit al-Qusayr. Another peacekeeper was critically injured at the time.

The death on Sunday was the first among the UN's peacekeeping force in the new war between Israel and Lebanese armed group Hezbollah which erupted on March 2.

"These are two separate incidents and we are investigating them as two separate incidents," said UNIFIL's spokesperson Kandice Ardiel.

In response to the first death, Indonesia's foreign ministry said on Monday ‌the deceased peacekeeper ‌was one of its citizens and that three others were injured by "indirect artillery fire".

Indonesia condemned ‌the ⁠incident and said ⁠any harm to peacekeepers is unacceptable, while reiterating its condemnation "of Israel's attacks in southern Lebanon."

The country's Foreign Minister Sugiono called on Tuesday in a post on social media website X for an emergency UN Security Council meeting and "for a swift, thorough, and transparent investigation" into the "heinous attack" after speaking with UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres.

Israel's military said early on Tuesday it is aware of the reports regarding the two incidents and they are being reviewed thoroughly to determine whether they resulted from Hezbollah or the military's activity.

Guterres said attacks on peacekeepers are grave violations of international humanitarian law and may amount to war crimes.

"We strongly condemn these unacceptable incidents - peacekeepers must never be a target," the UN peacekeeping chief ⁠Jean-Pierre Lacroix told reporters in a briefing on Monday.

PARAMEDICS, JOURNALISTS KILLED

UNIFIL is stationed in southern ‌Lebanon to monitor hostilities along the demarcation line with Israel - an area that is at ‌the heart of clashes between Israeli troops and Iran-backed Hezbollah fighters.

Lebanon was pulled into the war in the Middle East when Hezbollah fired rockets ‌at Israel in solidarity with Tehran, two days after Iran was attacked by Israel and the United States. Hezbollah's attack prompted ‌a new Israeli ground and air offensive.

More than 1,240 people have been killed in Israeli strikes on Lebanon, according to Lebanese authorities. They include more than 120 children, nearly 80 women and dozens of paramedics.

More than 400 Hezbollah fighters have been killed since March 2, according to two sources familiar with Hezbollah's count. The Israeli military issued evacuation warnings to residents of six villages in Lebanon's western Bekaa region on Monday, in the first such ‌warning for those areas.

The military said the warning was prompted by what it described as militant activity in the area, without providing further details.

Fresh airstrikes hit several towns in southern Lebanon ⁠on Monday and at least one ⁠strike hit Beirut's southern suburbs.

The Israeli military said strikes in Beirut targeted commanders responsible for coordination between Hezbollah and Palestinian armed groups. At least 10 paramedics were killed over the weekend in Israeli strikes, according to the Lebanese health ministry. Three journalists were killed in an Israeli strike on their car on Saturday.

The Israeli military has accused Hezbollah operatives of posing as Lebanese paramedics, and has said that some journalists it killed were part of the group's intelligence or military wing. It has not publicly provided evidence to support those claims.

Lebanon's health ministry has denied that any ambulances or health facilities are used for military purposes.

Lebanon's presidency has said that targeted journalists are "civilians performing a professional duty."

Israel has said it intends to control a buffer zone up to the Litani River, which runs about 30 km (20 miles) north of the Lebanese border with Israel.

Its ground troops have been pushing into Lebanese border towns and demolishing homes in the area.

Israel's military said on Monday that a sixth soldier had been killed in fighting in southern Lebanon. Lebanon's armed forces said that a Lebanese soldier had been killed in an Israeli airstrike. At least nine Lebanese soldiers have been killed by Israel.

Lebanon's army has not been fighting Israeli forces.



Iran’s Top Diplomat Speaks with Hamas

Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi arrives for a bilateral meeting with Switzerland's counterpart at the Burgenstock luxury hotel complex overlooking Lake Lucerne, Switzerland, on June 21, 2026, ahead of high-level talks aimed at advancing a deal to end the Middle East conflict. (AFP)
Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi arrives for a bilateral meeting with Switzerland's counterpart at the Burgenstock luxury hotel complex overlooking Lake Lucerne, Switzerland, on June 21, 2026, ahead of high-level talks aimed at advancing a deal to end the Middle East conflict. (AFP)
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Iran’s Top Diplomat Speaks with Hamas

Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi arrives for a bilateral meeting with Switzerland's counterpart at the Burgenstock luxury hotel complex overlooking Lake Lucerne, Switzerland, on June 21, 2026, ahead of high-level talks aimed at advancing a deal to end the Middle East conflict. (AFP)
Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi arrives for a bilateral meeting with Switzerland's counterpart at the Burgenstock luxury hotel complex overlooking Lake Lucerne, Switzerland, on June 21, 2026, ahead of high-level talks aimed at advancing a deal to end the Middle East conflict. (AFP)

Iran's top diplomat spoke with a senior official from the Palestinian group Hamas regarding talks between Iran and the United States, state television reported on Wednesday.

Abbas Araghchi discussed the "latest developments" in the region with Basem Naeem, a member of Hamas's political bureau, Iranian television said.

The call follows the signing last week of a memorandum of understanding between Iran and the United States aimed at bringing a lasting end to hostilities in the Middle East.

The text does not mention Gaza but stipulates "an immediate and permanent cessation of military operations on all fronts, including in Lebanon".

Hamas has welcomed the agreement and expressed hope that it would also help end the violence in the Gaza Strip, which has been devastated by over two years of war with Israel.

Iran is a staunch supporter of the Palestinian cause, making it a cornerstone of its foreign policy since the 1979 revolution.

During the call, Araghchi "reaffirmed Iran's continued support for Palestinians and their just cause until their legitimate national rights are fully realized", according to a transcript reported by Iranian television.

On Tuesday, the Iranian foreign minister accompanied President Masoud Pezeshkian on a visit to neighboring Pakistan, which has been acting as a mediator in the talks between Tehran and Washington.


Nabil Fahmy’s Priorities at Arab League Helm: Reform and Strengthening Arab Coordination

New Secretary-General of the Arab League Nabil Fahmy. (Facebook)
New Secretary-General of the Arab League Nabil Fahmy. (Facebook)
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Nabil Fahmy’s Priorities at Arab League Helm: Reform and Strengthening Arab Coordination

New Secretary-General of the Arab League Nabil Fahmy. (Facebook)
New Secretary-General of the Arab League Nabil Fahmy. (Facebook)

In his first statement as the newly appointed secretary-general of the Arab League, Nabil Fahmy outlined what he sees as the organization’s key priorities for the coming years: modernizing its mechanisms and deepening Arab consultation and coordination.

After the Arab League approved his appointment on Monday, Fahmy said his five-year term, which begins on July 1, would focus on updating the organization and adapting its working methods to keep pace with rapid regional and international changes.

He stressed that the current phase requires closer Arab coordination to confront the crises and security threats facing the region, while strengthening cooperation to capitalize on emerging opportunities and turn existing challenges into drivers of stability and development.

Describing his unanimous selection as a “historic responsibility at a sensitive and pivotal moment,” Fahmy said the Arab world is confronting major challenges amid fast-moving regional and global transformations.

These conditions, he argued, demand stronger collective action, the defense of Arab interests, and a renewed commitment to solidarity among member states.

Fahmy underlined respect for the sovereignty, security, and territorial integrity of Arab states, as well as support for national efforts to achieve sustainable development and improve living standards.

He pledged that the Arab League would remain “the common home of the Arabs” and continue serving as a platform for dialogue, consultation, and coordination.

Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi meets the new Secretary-General of the Arab League Nabil Fahmy (Egyptian Presidency)

Changing strategic landscape

Speaking to Asharq Al-Awsat, Egyptian diplomat Mohamed Hegazy, a member of the Egyptian Council for Foreign Affairs and a former assistant foreign minister, said Fahmy’s priorities reflect a clear reading of the region’s realities.

“The Arab League must evolve in ways that add real value to collective Arab action,” Hegazy said, arguing that deeper consultation among Arab states will be essential to rebuilding confidence in the institution.

He pointed to a rapidly shifting strategic environment marked by the repercussions of the US-Iran conflict, the ongoing war in Gaza, the protracted crises in Sudan, Libya, and Yemen, and broader changes in the international order.

According to Hegazy, Fahmy’s unanimous election reflects broad confidence in his diplomatic experience, extensive regional and international ties, and ability to help reposition the Arab League at a particularly complex moment.

Fahmy succeeds fellow Egyptian Ahmed Aboul Gheit, who led the organization from 2016 to 2026. He will become the Arab League’s ninth secretary-general since its founding in 1945 and the eighth Egyptian to hold the post.

Rebuilding trust

Hegazy said that Fahmy’s first challenge will be restoring political confidence in the Arab League as a forum for Arab consensus rather than a body confined to meetings and communiques.

“The real challenge is not administrative reform, but convincing member states that the League can generate political value and manage disagreements through institutional mechanisms,” he explained.

According to Hegazy, institutional reform is also likely to include a review of decision-making procedures, a stronger role for research centers, and greater use of technology and artificial intelligence to support policymaking.

The League may also place greater emphasis on development, economic integration, digital transformation, energy, and food and water security - issues increasingly viewed as central to modern Arab national security.

Ultimately, Hegazy said, Fahmy’s success will depend on his ability to transform the Arab League from an institution that reflects Arab divisions into one that helps overcome them, forging a common Arab vision for security, development, and engagement with a rapidly changing world.


Israel, Lebanon Discuss Proposal for Transfer of Some Southern Territory to Lebanese Army

A woman inspects the rubble of a collapsed building in the town of Nabatieh al-Fawqa in southern Lebanon on June 23, 2026. (Photo by Fadel ITANI / AFP)
A woman inspects the rubble of a collapsed building in the town of Nabatieh al-Fawqa in southern Lebanon on June 23, 2026. (Photo by Fadel ITANI / AFP)
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Israel, Lebanon Discuss Proposal for Transfer of Some Southern Territory to Lebanese Army

A woman inspects the rubble of a collapsed building in the town of Nabatieh al-Fawqa in southern Lebanon on June 23, 2026. (Photo by Fadel ITANI / AFP)
A woman inspects the rubble of a collapsed building in the town of Nabatieh al-Fawqa in southern Lebanon on June 23, 2026. (Photo by Fadel ITANI / AFP)

Talks between Israel and Lebanon include discussion of a US-backed proposal for Israeli forces to hand over some of the territory they have invaded during the war with Hezbollah to the Lebanese military, according to Israeli and Lebanese officials.

The Israeli officials said the Lebanese troops involved would undergo US training and vetting to ensure they are not linked to Hezbollah, while Israel would maintain a military presence in a buffer zone along the border.

The proposed "pilot" project is being discussed in the latest round ⁠of talks between Lebanese ⁠and Israeli officials, which got underway in Washington on Tuesday, Reuters reported.

Rejected by Hezbollah, this diplomatic track has been overshadowed as Tehran has made Lebanon a focal point of its negotiations with the US.

Asked about the Israeli officials' comments, a senior Lebanese security official said discussions were ongoing in Washington ⁠and that Wednesday would see specific military-to-military discussions, including on the pilot zones.

The Lebanese official said the discussions would focus on a timeline for withdrawal and that any plan would emerge only after the final day of talks on Thursday. The official did not respond to a request for comment on the Israeli officials' account of US vetting of Lebanese troops.

The latest war between Hezbollah and Israel erupted when the group opened fire at Israel in solidarity with ⁠Tehran in ⁠the early days of the US-Israeli war on Iran.

A ceasefire has largely held since Sunday, even as Israeli forces have remained deployed deep inside southern Lebanon, where they have seized a self-declared security zone, saying they need this to shield northern Israel from a Hezbollah attack.

The interim agreement signed by Iran and the US last week requires both countries and their allies to declare an immediate and permanent end of military operations on all fronts, including Lebanon, and to ensure Lebanon's "territorial integrity and sovereignty."