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Yahoo
an hour ago
- Yahoo
David Lammy first UK minister to visit Syria since 2011 uprising
Foreign Secretary David Lammy has become the first UK minister to visit Syria since the uprising that led to the country's civil war began 14 years ago. Lammy met Syria's interim president Ahmad al-Sharaa eight months after the collapse of the Assad regime and as the new Islamic-led government continues to establish control within the country. Alongside the visit, the UK government announced an additional £94.5m support package to cover humanitarian aid and support longer-term recovery within Syria and countries helping Syrian refugees. Lammy told the BBC the purpose of his meeting was to promote inclusivity, transparency and accountability with the new government. "I'm here to speak to this new government, to urge them to continue to be inclusive, to ensure that there's transparency and accountability in the way that they govern," he said. "But [also] to stand by the Syrian people and Syria as it makes this peaceful transition over the coming months." Syria is in a fragile situation with a new Islamic-led government in charge. In December, rebels led by Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, a group which has been proscribed as a terrorist organisation by the UK, UN and US, stormed Damascus, toppling the Assad regime which had ruled the country for 54 years. Since then, Western countries have sought to reset relations with the country. At the end of June, US President Donald Trump signed an executive order ending sanctions against the country. The White House said at the time it would monitor the new Syrian government's actions including by "addressing foreign terrorists" and "banning Palestinian terrorist groups". The UK has also lifted sanctions. Al-Sharaa met French President Emmanuel Macron in Paris in May while other foreign officials, including Ukraine's foreign minister, have visited Syria. Many members of Syria's new government, including the interim president, were members of Hayat Tahrir al-Sham. Asked how the government deals with a group it had listed on the proscribed terror group as a pseudonym for al-Qaeda, Lammy said he recognised the country has a bloody recent history associated with terrorism and war, but said the UK is looking "to the future" and engaging with the new government. Various violent attacks against minority groups have been committed in Syria in recent months. Hundreds have been killed from the Alawite minority, there were violent attacks on the Druze community, and recently a brutal attack on peaceful worshippers inside a church in Damascus. Internationally, these attacks have prompted concern about how much Syria's new government can protect minorities but also provide safety and stability. Almost every day, there are reported cases of killing or kidnapping. Lammy said: "It's important that the UK lean in to ensure that the balance is tipped in the right direction, a balance towards accountability, transparency, inclusivity for all of the communities that make up this country, a prosperous one and a peaceful one." Within Syria, many people are worried the government is slipping towards a new form of dictatorship. There are restrictions on social freedoms, the role of women is being marginalised in the government, and there is more and more enforcement of Islamic practices rather than a clear governance based on civic codes representing the whole society. In these early days of the government there are also fears around how it is being formed. Only one female minister has been appointed and al-Sharaa has made almost every other appointment - with no election, referendum or opinion polls. Many appointments in the government are reported to be based on connections rather than qualifications, and most of those in charge have a radical Islamic agenda and are enforcing it. Lammy said the UK wants Syria to "move in the direction of peace, of prosperity, of stability for the people and an inclusive country" and will use humanitarian aid to help that. He added the UK would monitor the situation to ensure the new government ruled the population in an inclusive manner. The UK government is also supporting the Organisation of the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) to help dismantle Assad's chemical weapons in Syria. A further £2m was committed to the organisation this financial year in addition to around £837,000 provided since the fall of Assad. There are many challenges ahead of Syria - both internally and in the region. Israel has invaded parts of Syria and carried out hundreds of air strikes, and continues to hold hundreds of square kilometres inside Syrian territory. Lammy said he "urged the Israeli government to think again about some of their actions" to avoid undermining "the progress that could be made in this new Syria". Hundreds of foreign fighters and their families have been held in detention camps in north-west Syria for years, including dozens from the UK. Asked whether the UK was going to take them back home, Lammy did not give a clear answer. He said he had discussed the issue of camps with Syria's president, as well as how to help the country deal with counterterrorism and irregular migration. The situation in Syria remains precarious, and its security is at risk with threats from the Islamic State group and radical jihadist fighters who have joined the government. While international support will certainly help the war-torn country recover, it could also help pressure the government to be a representative of a diverse and open society.
Bloomberg
an hour ago
- Bloomberg
Khamenei Makes First Public Appearance Since Israel-Iran War Started
By Updated on Save Iran' s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei on Saturday made his first public appearance since the 12-day war between Israel and Iran began, attending a mourning ceremony on the eve of Ashoura. Khamenei's absence during the war suggested heavy security for the Iranian leader, who has final say on all state matters. State TV in Iran showed him waving and nodding to the chanting crowd, which rose to its feet as he entered and sat at a mosque next to his office and residence in the capital, Tehran.
Yahoo
an hour ago
- Yahoo
MK Gadi Eisenkot announces split from Gantz's National Unity party
Eisenkot reportedly said the party's primaries "do not reflect the principles of democratization that I believe are necessary for a ruling party." In a remarkable political development on Monday, MK Benny Gantz's National Unity party announced on Sunday that the party's number two, former IDF chief of staff MK Gadi Eisenkot, was leaving the party and resigning from the Knesset. 'Member of Knesset Lt. Gen. (res.) Gadi Eisenkot informed National Unity Party chairman Benny Gantz of his intention to leave the party and return his mandate to it,' the party said in a statement. 'The two emphasized their long-standing friendship and mutual respect, and stated that they will continue to collaborate toward shared goals and for the benefit of the people of Israel in the future as well," the party statement concluded. Eisenkot ran alongside Gantz in the 2022 election after receiving guarantees that the party would undergo a 'democratization' process that will include a primary election, including for party leadership. However, Gantz failed to deliver on that process. The party announced on June1 that had approved a series of measures intended at opening and broadening its ranks, including an election for party leadership. However, the measures stipulated that a 150-member body would elect the party leader, whose members will be chosen by Gantz. This made it unrealistic for Eisenkot to compete for party leadership. Eisenkot has reportedly met with both Opposition Leader MK Yair Lapid and former Prime Minister Naftali Bennett, and is considering joining both of them ahead of the next election. Eisenkot's resignation means that former Ra'anana mayor and MK Eytan Ginzburg, who is next on the party's list, will enter in his stead. The announcement was a blow to Gantz, who has attempted to portray a unified front with Eisenkot in recent months despite rumors of Eisenkot considering his departure. Eisenkot is the fifth MK to leave Gantz's party, after Foreign Minister MK Gideon Sa'ar broke from the party in March 2024, when National Unity was part of the government, over criticism of Gantz's policies regarding the Gaza war. Gantz put out a statement of his own soon after the party's announcement. "Following a deep and lengthy process of conversations between us, my friend Gadi Eisenkot informed me today that he has decided to leave the National Unity party and resign from the Knesset. In recent weeks, significant ideological differences have emerged between us regarding the right way to serve the State of Israel," Gantz said. "Gadi is, first and foremost, a personal friend. He is a worthy individual who has served the country for decades, and I am confident he will continue to serve it in his own way. Even if our political partnership has come to an end at this time — our friendship and mutual respect will remain," Gantz conclude
