Steve Hilton: Why I'm running for California governor
But David Cameron's 'shaven-headed guru', who was godfather to Cameron's first son and encouraged the Conservative leader to hug a husky in the Arctic and embrace a modernising agenda, never came back.
Hilton instead became 'a proud American', raising his right hand and taking the oath of allegiance to become a US citizen in 2021. Now the personal odyssey that took him from a scholarship at Christ's Hospital school in Horsham to a Fox News primetime show in Los Angeles has taken another extraordinary twist: this week he announced his campaign to follow in the footsteps of
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Libyan Express
19-07-2025
- Libyan Express
Mossad seeks to relocate Gazans, Libya named
Israel pushes Gaza relocation plan, eyes Libya The director of Israel's Mossad intelligence agency, David Barnea, visited Washington this week to request US backing for a sensitive Israeli initiative aimed at encouraging several third countries — including Libya — to accept large numbers of displaced Palestinians from the Gaza Strip, according to an exclusive report published by Axios on Friday. Citing informed sources, Axios revealed that Barnea met with US Middle East envoy Steve Wietckoff and disclosed that Israel had been holding discreet discussions with Ethiopia, Indonesia, and Libya to explore the possibility of relocating Palestinians from Gaza. According to the report, Barnea claimed these countries had shown initial openness to the idea, though no formal agreements have been reached. During the meeting, Barnea reportedly urged Washington to offer political or economic incentives to encourage those countries to cooperate, and asked the US to assist Israel in persuading them to proceed. However, Wietckoff did not express a firm position, and it remains unclear whether the US administration will become directly involved. These discussions come amid growing international concern that Israel's policy toward Gaza may constitute forced displacement. While Israeli officials have framed the initiative as 'voluntary migration,' legal experts in both the US and Israel have warned that such efforts could amount to violations of international law. The relocation file was reportedly raised during Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's recent visit to the White House, during which he told American officials that Israel is working 'closely' with Washington to identify countries willing to host Palestinians from Gaza. Netanyahu emphasised what he described as the importance of offering Gaza's residents 'freedom of choice' — to remain under siege or leave for a third country. Axios also reported that Netanyahu has tasked the Mossad with identifying potential host nations. However, the idea of mass population transfer has triggered deep concern across the Arab region and beyond, with critics warning that it could escalate tensions and spark a broader humanitarian catastrophe. Libya's inclusion sparks controversy Libya's reported inclusion in the talks has raised alarm among analysts and civil society figures, particularly given the country's fragile political environment and lack of unified governance. Observers warn that any attempt to involve Libya in such a sensitive international relocation scheme could provoke public backlash and add further strain to national stability. In mid-May, the US Embassy in Tripoli issued a public denial of earlier media reports claiming that the Trump administration had developed a plan to relocate Palestinians from Gaza to Libya. 'The report about alleged plans to relocate Gaza residents to Libya is false,' the embassy stated on its official account on X (formerly Twitter), responding to claims circulated by NBC News. Historical echoes of controversial proposals The concept of relocating Gaza's population to neighbouring countries is not new. In early 2025, former US President Donald Trump floated a highly controversial proposal to resettle more than two million Palestinians from Gaza in Egypt, Jordan, and other Arab countries. He claimed the enclave had become uninhabitable due to widespread destruction and suggested turning Gaza into a 'Middle East Riviera' — a statement that drew shock and condemnation throughout the region. Trump later appeared to backpedal, stating he would not impose the plan, but would merely recommend it. He added that 'no one will be forced out' of Gaza — a stark contrast to his earlier suggestion that the United States would take control of the territory and transfer its population elsewhere. Palestinian resistance movements, including Hamas and Islamic Jihad, have repeatedly pledged to thwart any such plans, viewing them as part of a broader effort to erase Palestinian presence from Gaza. A humanitarian crisis still unfolding Since the outbreak of war in October 2023, Gaza has endured unprecedented devastation. More than 38,000 Palestinians have been killed, and nearly 90,000 injured, according to the latest estimates by international humanitarian agencies. The majority of the population — approximately 2.2 million people — has been forcibly displaced within the territory. Entire neighbourhoods have been levelled, and essential infrastructure has collapsed. Thousands remain missing under the rubble, and aid organisations warn that Gaza is facing famine-like conditions, with a looming public health catastrophe.
Libyan Express
16-07-2025
- Libyan Express
US ambassador urges Israel to investigate killing of Palestinian American in West Bank
The funeral of Saif Musallet The United States ambassador to Israel, Mike Huckabee, has urged Israeli authorities to conduct a thorough investigation into the killing of a Palestinian American citizen in the occupied West Bank, describing the incident as both 'criminal' and 'terrorist' in nature. The victim, 20-year-old Sayafollah Musallet, was reportedly beaten to death last Friday near the town of Sinjil, north of Ramallah. According to his family, Musallet — a US citizen from Florida — was visiting relatives when he was attacked by a group of Israeli settlers. They allege that emergency medical services were delayed, and that he died before reaching hospital. Ambassador Huckabee, a long-time supporter of Israel and its settlement policies, made an uncharacteristically direct public statement on Tuesday, saying on social media: 'I have asked Israel to aggressively investigate the murder of Saif Musallet, an American citizen who was visiting family in Sinjil when he was beaten to death.' Israeli military officials have confirmed that an inquiry is underway. They say clashes broke out after Palestinian residents allegedly threw stones at settlers, resulting in minor injuries. The army stated that it deployed non-lethal means to disperse the groups. Conflicting accounts of the incident remain unverified by independent sources. The killing comes amid a marked rise in violence across the West Bank since the start of Israel's war in Gaza in October 2023. Attacks by settlers against Palestinians — and retaliatory violence by Palestinians — have become increasingly frequent. In recent years, several US citizens have been killed in the West Bank, including Palestinian American journalist Shireen Abu Akleh and teenager Omar Mohammad Rabea. American-Israeli citizens have also been victims of deadly attacks, such as Elan Ganeles, who was fatally shot near the Jordan Valley in 2023. The United Nations' top court has ruled that Israeli settlements in the occupied West Bank are illegal under international law and should be dismantled. Israel disputes this position, citing security concerns and historical claims to the land, which it captured during the 1967 war.
Libyan Express
29-06-2025
- Libyan Express
Power, dominance and the fractured Middle East
Ahmed Mayouf, Libyan analyst, warns of the region's slide from influence to existential threat In the years following the incomplete revolutions of the Arab Spring, a fundamental reality has come into sharper focus: nearly every state, whether powerful or peripheral, seeks to assert hegemony—be it political, economic, cultural or military. This pursuit of influence is not confined to global superpowers. It is a defining feature of international relations today, shaped by a fluid global order where national interests increasingly override shared principles. While some states have resisted such efforts—either through internal cohesion between the people and their rulers, or through the endurance of institutional structures—external attempts at domination have continued. The erosion of the post-war international system and the decline of multilateral norms have only emboldened expansionist actors. In this shifting landscape, two powers—Iran and Israel—stand out as key architects of new regional dynamics. Each pursues a distinct project of influence, shaped by history, ideology, and hard power. Yet, the implications of their ambitions differ in scope and consequence. Iran: Ideology and strategic depth Since the 1979 revolution, Iran has pursued a long-term vision to shape the Middle East through a combination of ideological influence, strategic alliances, and calculated geopolitical manoeuvres. Ayatollah Khomeini's call for 'exporting the revolution' and 'awakening the Islamic world' signalled Tehran's intent to become the vanguard of a transnational Islamic resurgence. While this rhetoric was not explicitly aimed at dismantling nation-states, it did promote political independence from Western powers and a reimagined regional order grounded in Islamic unity. Over the decades, Iran has operationalised this vision by forging alliances with non-state actors and governments that share its opposition to Western dominance. From Hezbollah in Lebanon, to the Houthis in Yemen, to the Popular Mobilisation Forces in Iraq, and its enduring alliance with the Assad regime in Syria, Iran has developed a regional network of influence that has proven highly resilient. Iran's perception of threat has been equally influential in shaping its strategy. The presence of American military bases across the Gulf, alongside Israel's regional footprint, is viewed in Tehran as a direct challenge to its sovereignty and national security. In response, Iran has pursued 'strategic depth' by projecting power beyond its borders, establishing influence over neighbouring states, and controlling chokepoints such as the Strait of Hormuz—a vital artery through which 20% of the world's oil and gas flows. This geographical leverage has enhanced its bargaining power not only with regional actors but with global powers reliant on energy security. Yet Iran's ambitions are not pursued through outright occupation. Instead, it relies on ideological appeal, asymmetrical warfare, and proxy networks. Through this approach, it has carved a sphere of influence that extends from the Persian Gulf to the eastern Mediterranean—a formation often referred to as the 'Shia Crescent.' Despite some setbacks, particularly in Syria following shifts in the Assad regime's fortunes, Iran has succeeded in embedding itself within the region's political and security landscape. Israel: From survival to supremacy If Iran's project is ideological and defensive in origin, Israel's project is fundamentally existential and expansionist in trajectory. Since its creation in 1948, Israel has operated within a regional environment that questions its legitimacy. In response, it has adopted a posture grounded in security imperatives and strategic superiority. Over time, however, this has evolved into a more assertive quest for political normalisation, territorial consolidation, and demographic engineering. Israel's security doctrine, once centred on deterrence and survival, has expanded to include a range of political and ideological objectives. At the heart of these lies the ambition to be recognised not merely as a state, but as the nation-state of the Jewish people—a status formalised in the 2018 Jewish Nation-State Law. This law, passed by the Knesset, declared Israel as the exclusive national home of the Jewish people and downgraded the status of Arabic from an official language to one of 'special standing.' Though symbolic, it carries profound implications, entrenching legal inequalities and signalling a vision of the state that excludes its Arab citizens and Palestinians under occupation. This internal legislative shift is mirrored by an external diplomatic campaign. Over recent decades, Israel has succeeded in breaking Arab consensus on Palestine by normalising ties with key Arab states. From the Camp David Accords with Egypt, to the Wadi Araba Treaty with Jordan, and more recently the Abraham Accords with the UAE, Bahrain, Morocco, and Sudan, Israel has progressively dismantled the historical Arab front against normalisation. The strategic result is twofold: the marginalisation of the Palestinian cause and the legitimisation of Israeli regional leadership. Were it not for the Hamas-led attacks of 7 October 2023, more Arab states might have joined this path. Instead, the war on Gaza has crystallised a new phase in Israel's trajectory—one that moves beyond occupation to what many observers now describe as systematic ethnic cleansing, enabled by overwhelming Western support and in open defiance of international humanitarian law. A regional reckoning The current reality in Gaza, marked by mass displacement, destruction of infrastructure, and the collapse of humanitarian systems, represents more than a military campaign. It signals an Israeli strategy to permanently alter the demographics of Palestine, thereby resolving its so-called 'demographic dilemma' through force rather than negotiation. In this sense, Israel's hegemonic ambitions are not merely political—they are existential in their impact on others. The goal is not just influence, but erasure. In comparison, Iran's project—however destabilising—is rooted in strategic depth and deterrence. It seeks influence without necessarily dismantling states. Israel, on the other hand, is now engaged in reshaping borders, narratives, and entire populations. Its expansionist logic, some fear, aligns with earlier Zionist visions of a Greater Israel stretching 'from the Nile to the Euphrates.' This comparison is not meant to justify Iranian interference or downplay its impact. Iran's role in fuelling regional polarisation is real. But it does underscore the disparity in scope and intent. Where Iran seeks regional leverage, Israel appears to seek regional supremacy. Conclusion: The anatomy of hegemony Hegemony is not a static concept. It evolves with power, narrative, and opportunity. Many states, including Libya under Gaddafi, have sought regional influence, often projecting ideology or capital to assert leadership. Saudi Arabia exported Wahhabism; Qatar used the Muslim Brotherhood as a tool of soft power; the UAE has leveraged its economic might to counter revolutionary movements and reshape post-Arab Spring transitions. Yet none of these actors pose the same existential threat to the region as Israel currently does. Israel's project, bolstered by diplomatic cover, military superiority, and ideological conviction, aims not just at dominance—but at the displacement and elimination of a people. The forced demographic restructuring of Palestine, should it continue unchecked, could serve as a blueprint for similar campaigns elsewhere. If today Iran is the primary target of containment, tomorrow others may face the expansionist appetite of a state emboldened by impunity. The lessons of the Arab world's silence and complicity in the face of unfolding tragedy will not be forgotten. In the end, the region must ask: is it hegemony we fear—or annihilation we are failing to prevent?
