November, 2023

• 30 November

  Al-Assad Was Absent from Nasrallah’s Speech

  

  It is evident that the Iranian axis is not willing to sacrifice the Syrian regime to protect the Hamas movement, according to Ibrahim Rayhan in Syria TV. Yemen, Iraq, and Lebanon were featured prominently in Hezbollah Secretary General Hassan Nasrallah’s speech last Friday, but the Syrian regime was notably absent. …

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• 30 November

  Syria Today – Israel Bombs Damascus Airport; Massacre in Idleb; Army Sends Reinforcements to Deir-ez-Zor

  

  Sunday saw Israeli airstrikes rendering Damascus airport non-operational, leading to the redirection of incoming flights, according to both the Syrian army and a pro-government newspaper. Simultaneously, Syrian government forces shelled a northwestern village on Saturday, resulting in the tragic death of at least 10 people, including seven children who were …

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• 30 November

  Re-election of Sheikh Osama al-Rifai as President of the Syrian Islamic Council in Exile

  

  The Syrian Islamic Council announced the re-election of Sheikh Osama al-Rifai for a new term. On Monday evening, the Syrian Islamic Council announced the re-election of Sheikh Osama al-Rifai for a new term. The Council’s statement highlighted, “The General Assembly, convened at the conclusion of its sessions, elected 21 members …

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• 30 November

  Qatar: Extremism and Terrorism

  On October 7, 2023, Hamas launched a surprise attack on Israel killing at least 1,200 people and kidnapping at least 240 men, women, and children. In response, Israel declared war on Hamas and launched a ground invasion of the Gaza Strip. Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh and other Hamas leaders watched …

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• 30 November

  A View from the CT Foxhole: Ilkka Salmi, EU Counter-Terrorism Coordinator

  

  Ilkka Salmi has served as the European Union Counter-Terrorism Coordinator since October 2021. He previously served as the Director of the Disaster Preparedness and Prevention Directorate at the European Commission between January 2020 and September 2021. Prior to that, he was Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of the Interior in …

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• 30 November

  The Beginning of a New Wave? The Hamas-Israel War and the Terror Threat in the West

  

  Abstract: On October 7, 2023, Hamas—in coalition with a range of other groups including Palestinian Islamic Jihad—initiated the group’s largest ever terrorist attack on Israel, killing 1,200 Israelis and taking more than 240 hostages. The subsequent Israeli air and land offensive in Gaza has resulted in thousands of Palestinians being …

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• 30 November

  The Road to October 7: Hamas’ Long Game, Clarified

  

  Abstract: When Hamas took over the Gaza Strip by force of arms in 2007, it faced an ideological crisis. It could focus on governing Gaza and addressing the needs of the Palestinian people, or it could use the Gaza Strip as a springboard from which to attack Israel. Even then, …

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• 30 November

  Les nouveaux leaders de la Palestine

  

  «L’accord d’Israël pour négocier des échanges de prisonniers avec le Hamas est une marque de défaite». Il est peut-être prématuré de faire une évaluation définitive des 50 premiers jours de l’assaut israélien contre la bande de Gaza, ou de prévoir ce qui se passera au lendemain de la trêve de …

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• 30 November

  Saudi Arabia, Iran and China Offer the U.S. a Lesson in Pragmatism

  

  Last Friday, Saudi Arabia and Iran announced that they have reached an agreement to reestablish diplomatic ties and reopen their respective embassies in two months’ time. The agreement, which was mediated by China and announced at a signing ceremony in Beijing, comes after a seven-year diplomatic rift that began in …

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• 30 November

  Egypt and Iran Could Be the Next Thaw in the Middle East

  

  Quiet mediation efforts between Egypt and Iran have been going on for months, seeking to end one of the Middle East’s longest-running but often-neglected feuds. In May, credible media reports indicated that Egyptian-Iranian talks had been taking place in Baghdad since March. Later that month, Oman’s Sultan Haitham bin Tariq …

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