The Occupation Arrests Patients and Medical Staff in Gaza…Renewed Clashes in Jenin / Al-Sharaa Sends Messages to Moscow, Riyadh, Tehran, and Cairo…Elections Still Years Away
Halevi and His Army Commanders in Southern Lebanon: Our Victory Is Clear, but Refugees’ Return Remains
December 30, 2024
The political editor wrote
While the occupying entity’s prime minister concluded a surgical operation and relocated to a fortified underground care unit for fear of Yemeni missiles – continuing to alarm the entity daily despite ongoing airstrikes on Yemeni cities and sites – the occupation’s army showcased its excess power in northern Gaza. This offensive targeted hospitals, culminating in the torching and destruction of Kamal Adwan Hospital and the forced detention of patients and medical staff, shackled and nearly stripped. Meanwhile, the West Bank returned to a state of tension and anxiety as the Palestinian Authority’s security forces resumed their crackdown on resistance factions in Jenin and its refugee camp.
In Syria, Ahmed al-Sharaa, head of the new governing administration, made notable statements during a televised interview with Saudi-owned Al Arabiya. He directed messages to a weakened Moscow, a cautiously reserved Riyadh, and Cairo, gripped by concern. Al-Sharaa emphasised the historic ties with Moscow and his desire to strengthen them, referencing shared interests but leaving the future of Russian military bases shrouded in ambiguity, merely stating he did not wish for Russia to leave Syria under unfavorable circumstances.
He urged Tehran to reciprocate its efforts to protect religious sites with more positive public statements, paving the way for future relations free of obstacles. Al-Sharaa denied any deliberate plan behind the appearance of Egyptian opposition figures in Damascus that had unsettled Cairo, stressing his commitment to differentiating between past and present phases. He underlined Syria’s current priority: serving national interests through optimal relations with Arab countries and preventing Syria from becoming a source of concern for any Arab state. He praised Saudi Arabia’s economic initiatives, international and regional significance, and the importance of benefiting from its expertise.
Regarding internal affairs, al-Sharaa justified appointments dominated by a single political alignment as necessary for cohesion, promising broader inclusion later. He projected that drafting a new constitution would take three years, with elections to follow in the fourth year.
In southern Lebanon, near the border regions, the occupation’s chief of staff with his senior army leaders conducted a tour, during which he declared the army’s clear victory over the resistance in Lebanon. However, he acknowledged that the critical issue remains the successful return of displaced persons. Media outlets and experts within the occupying entity argue that the displaced refuse to return because they do not believe the victory claims made by Benjamin Netanyahu and Herzi Halevi.
