World

Tensions rise as Israel says Hezbollah sets up illegal outposts along border

Israel says Hezbollah, an Iranian-backed militia in southern Lebanon, has set up more than two dozen military outposts along the countries’ border in violation of international agreements, a development it says risks increasing confrontation.

Under a United Nations Security Council resolution following the 2006 Israel-Lebanon war, armed fighters from Hezbollah are not permitted to enter the border area. Troops from the UN Interim Force in Lebanon — or UNIFIL — are stationed there to make sure both sides keep to the rules.

For the latest headlines, follow our Google News channel online or via the app.
Yet in the past year, Israeli military officials say, those outposts have sprung up along the Blue Line, the boundary set by the UN. Whereas Hezbollah fighters have long entered the area disguised as civilians, some now wear uniforms and openly carry weapons, said the Israeli officials, who were not authorized to speak publicly. One is said to have ventured 60 kilometers into Israel and set off a bomb, injuring a civilian.

Requests for comment from Hezbollah and the Lebanese Armed Forces went unanswered.

“During the past year Hezbollah has erected at least 27 new military outposts along the Blue Line,” Israel’s ambassador to the UN, Gilad Erdan, wrote in a late June letter to the Security Council.

“Since the construction of these outposts there has been a significant increase of friction and incidents, initiated by Hezbollah’s operatives.

“Hezbollah systematically deprives UNIFIL of its ability to implement its core missions, in order to assure that its military build-up continues unhindered in Southern Lebanon,” he said.

But Israel, too, violates the UN resolution.
According to a UN document from March, Israeli aircraft flew over the Blue Line on 182 occasions between November 3 and February 20 and the country occupies the northern portion of Ghajar, a town that straddles the line. Hezbollah said in recent weeks it had shot down an Israeli drone over south Lebanon.

Escalating tensions

The developments are just one sign of escalating tensions between Israel and Iran, a nation emboldened by a string of diplomatic breakthroughs including a military alliance with Russia and the restoration of diplomatic ties with Saudi Arabia. Signs even emerged in recent weeks of a potential informal
understanding between Tehran and the US, which could lead to Iran voluntarily limiting its nuclear program in return for allowances to ship more crude oil.

In contrast, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is on the back foot over protests against plans to overhaul the judiciary and last week’s intense fighting in the West Bank, which killed 12 Palestinians and one Israeli soldier.

Border snapshot

A visit to the border accompanied by Israeli military officers illustrates just how close Hezbollah fighters and installations appear to be.

From the roof of an Israeli army border base, a wide green panorama with a red-roofed Lebanese village and Israeli farmland stretches into the distance toward the Hermon mountain range.

Just over the border is a container the officers describe as a Hezbollah military installation. Two people stand on top, snapping photographs of the Israeli side. After a few minutes, a van pulls up on the Lebanon side, and half a dozen men get out. The group walks over to the roof of a nearby building. The officer in charge of the installation walks closer. The two sides stare at each other.

UNIFIL doesn’t deny there is cause for disquiet.

“Any presence or activity on the north side of the Blue Line not belonging to UNIFIL or the Lebanese Armed Forces is a concern, Kandace Ardiel, a spokesperson,” said. “Peacekeepers must have full freedom of movement along the Blue Line and throughout our area of operations.”

A UN report from March says despite repeated requests, “UNIFIL has yet to gain full access to several locations of interest.”

Israel is increasingly concerned about Iranian activities, and not just in Lebanon. Last week, the Israeli military raided a refugee camp in Jenin, its biggest such incursion into the West Bank in two decades. Part of the goal was destroying weapons-production sites it says were controlled by Iran-funded terrorists.

On Thursday, a rocket was launched from Lebanon at Israel, and the Israeli military struck back.

Fully-fledged military

Hezbollah, funded mostly by Iran and thought to have more than 100,000 rockets and missiles at its disposal, would be certain to play a role in any bigger conflict. Israeli officials speculate the group has been encouraged by the return to Lebanon of personnel who fought in Syria, who have transformed the group from a guerrilla outfit to a fully-fledged military organization with professional soldiers.

Israeli officials say that as Lebanon declines further into one of the worst economic and financial crises in history, Hezbollah is getting more powerful. And Lebanon’s official army, the Lebanese Armed Forces, isn’t strong enough to police it.

Three Palestinians killed in clash with Israeli forces in West Bank’s Nablus

UN’s Guterres calls out Israel for using excessive force during recent Jenin raid

World

Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi meets with CEOs of leading Norwegian companies

H.H. Sheikh Khaled bin Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi, has met with a group of CEOs from leading Norwegian companies, as part of their participation in the UAE-Norway Investment Forum, held alongside his official visit to the Kingdom of Norway.

During the meeting, H.H. Sheikh Khaled bin Mohamed bin Zayed underscored the UAE leadership’s commitment to strengthening economic cooperation with its international partners.

He highlighted that investment in innovation and knowledge is a cornerstone for achieving sustainable development, noting that enhancing collaboration with Norwegian companies across key sectors will open new avenues for mutual economic growth between the two countries.

The UAE-Norway Investment Forum, taking place in Oslo, aimed to highlight available investment opportunities and strengthen trade relations between the UAE and Norway, fostering shared interests and supporting innovation and knowledge-based economic visions.

-wam

World

At the Indonesia International Book Fair 2024, TRENDS inaugurates 10th global office, releases four books

As part of its Asian research tour, partnership with Aletihad News Center, and
primary sponsorship of the Indonesia International Book Fair 2024, TRENDS
Research & Advisory inaugurated its office in Jakarta, marking its 10th location
worldwide. It also released four books in Indonesian.
The inauguration event was attended by ambassadors of the UAE, Bahrain, and
Jordan to Indonesia, chairpersons of the UAE and Indonesian Publishers’
Associations, the Director of TRENDS’ Jakarta office, and a group of researchers
and academics.
Speaking at the event, Dr. Mohammed Abdullah Al-Ali, CEO of TRENDS
Research & Advisory, stated that TRENDS’ international offices—set to reach 15
by the end of 2024—aim to enhance the Center’s research efforts and deepen its
role in disseminating knowledge, thus serving as a global knowledge bridge.
He emphasized, “At TRENDS, we believe in the importance of cooperation
between think tanks and prioritize this endeavor. We believe the TRENDS office in
Jakarta will enhance the exchange of knowledge and ideas between think tanks in
Asia and the Middle East, opening new horizons for collaboration in various
fields.”

Four books in Indonesian
As part of the Jakarta office’s inaugural activities, four books were released in
Indonesian, including the 11th and 12th books of the Muslim Brotherhood
Encyclopedia and Global Trends in AI and Automation and the Future of
Competition between Man and Machine: An Analytical Forward-looking Vision.

Hostility to Arab states
The 11th book of the Muslim Brotherhood Encyclopedia, The Concept of the State
According to the Muslim Brotherhood, highlights its hostile stance toward Arab
states since its inception. The group views them as an obstacle to its ascent to
power. It opposed the modern principles upon which these states were built,
considering them incompatible with the group’s unique interpretation of Islam,
which it claimed to embody exclusively.

Exclusion of nonconformists
The 12th book, The Muslim Brotherhood: Rejection of Tolerance and Exclusion of
Nonconformists, examines the Muslim Brotherhood’s stance towards
nonconformists, individuals, and entities. The book reveals the group’s binary view
of the world, categorizing others as allies or adversaries. It ties these relationships
to the Brotherhood’s internal power struggles and self-serving interests.

Global Trends in AI
The third book, Global Trends in AI, explores significant developments in AI and
its impact on various aspects of life, including the economy, society, and
governance. It also offers a comprehensive analysis of technological advancements
in AI, its applications across sectors, the ethical and social challenges it presents,
and its future trajectory.

Automation

The fourth book, Automation and the Future of Competition between Man and
Machine: An Analytical Forward-looking Vision, addresses the growing challenges
faced by the human workforce in the face of widespread automation and AI
applications. The book concludes that while automation presents a significant
challenge to the labor market, it simultaneously creates new opportunities. It
emphasizes the importance of preparing for this shift through skills development,
continuous education, and adopting economic and social policies that support the
workforce.

Prominent pavilion and active presence
The TRENDS’ pavilion at the Indonesia International Book Fair has attracted
numerous visitors, including academic researchers and officials, such as the
ambassadors of the UAE, Bahrain, Qatar, Jordan, and Turkey. Additionally,
chairpersons of Arab and Indonesian publishers’ associations, authors, publishers,
and students visited the pavilion. All were impressed with and praised TRENDS’ diverse, valuable publications. They also commended TRENDS’ active
international presence and ability to address global developments with rigorous
analytical research.
Dr. Mohammed Abdullah Al-Ali honored the esteemed guests, including
ambassadors of the UAE and Bahrain to Indonesia, Wedha Startesti Yudha,
Chairperson of the Indonesia International Book Fair Committee, Arys Hilman
Nugraha, Chairman of the Indonesian Publishers Association, and others,
presenting them with TRENDS’ publications and commemorative shields.
Additionally, he awarded TRENDS’ Research Medal to Ni Made Ayu Martini
Indonesian Deputy Minister of Marketing, Tourism and Creative Economy
It is worth noting that during its current Asian research tour, TRENDS announced
the launch of the TRENDS Research Medal, awarded to individuals who make
significant contributions to the development of scientific research and promote collaboration with TRENDS in strengthening a culture of research across various fields.

World

US determined to prevent full-scale war in Middle East, Joe Biden tells UNGA79

US President Joe Biden highlighted the US Administration’s determination to prevent a wider war that engulfs the entire Middle East region, noting that a diplomatic solution “remains the only path to lasting security to allow the residents from both countries to return to their homes on the border safely”.

In remarks he made today before the 79th Session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA79), the US President said, “Full-scale war is not in anyone’s interest,” adding that a diplomatic solution is still possible.

He also touched on “the rise of violence against innocent Palestinians on the West Bank”, and the need to “set the conditions for a better future”, which he said featured “a two-state solution, where the world — where Israel enjoys security and peace and full recognition and normalised relations with all its neighbours, where Palestinians live in security, dignity, and self-determination in a state of their own”.

President Biden underscored the ceasefire and hostage deal put forth by Qatar and Egypt, which the UN Security Council endorsed. He said, “Now is the time for the parties to finalise its terms, bring the hostages home,” adding that this would help ease the suffering in Gaza, and end the war.

-WAM