The Gateway to the East

The Lebanese government has outlawed the armed activities of the pro-Iranian party. A rift has emerged in the relationship between Hezbollah and the Shia Amal movement, which endorses the government's resolution. The Jewish state is hitting Lebanese territory hard again, putting pressure on the “buffer zone”. US mediation has "saved" the airport, which remains open. Hundreds of thousands of displaced people crowd the streets.

After years of diplomatic isolation and restrictions on movement, 395,000 Jordanian citizens visited Syria in 2025. Families, young people and independent travellers cross the border for short stays, cultural visits or family reunions. The project to reactivate the historic Hegiaz railway within the year. A recovery that contrasts with the crisis in tourism in Amman, victim of regional crises.

The Israeli association that fights against the political use of urban planning in the West Bank to seize land from Palestinians explains the bad faith of the rule that requires proof of ownership in Area C. At stake is 58% of the land in a context where there was no land registry before 1967. Activists and NGOs speak of an ‘unprecedented measure’ since the Six-Day War. Michal Braier: “discriminatory” legal system, ‘systematic’ expropriation to favour settlements.

On the feast of the great Maronite saint, Patriarch al-Rahi said that the use of force is the prerogative of the state. A musical event was cancelled in solidarity with the 14 victims of the collapse of a building in the north. A three-year-old child was also killed in the latest attack by the Jewish state.

Kata’ib Hezbollah, a pro-Iranian Shia militia, is threatening “total war" after the US sent an aircraft carrier to the Middle East. The election of a new president has been postponed; the outgoing office holder, Abdul Latif Rashid, is remembered for his bitter feud with the Chaldean patriarch for revoking a presidential decree recognising the Christian prelate. Meanwhile, al-Maliki’s possible return to power is casting a long shadow. Cardinal Sako calls for three days of fasting and praying for the country.

Syrian government forces have intensified their offensive in areas administered by Kurdish-led forces. The advance has been accompanied by support from local Arab tribes, Turkish drones, and Washington’s silent approval, while talks between the central government and the Kurds have failed. There are fears of further destabilisation after Islamic State fighters broke out of prisons previously run by the Kurdish autonomous administration.

Iran claims that the situation is relatively calm, but reports about protests are still coming from the country. Some estimates put the death toll as high as 12,000, while Iranian authorities report around 2,000 deaths. Speaking to AsiaNews, a Jordanian scholar notes that Iran’s crisis is not just a domestic problem related to the economy and society, but touches the entire Middle East and reflects the collapse of Iran’s allies.

The United Nations Assistance Mission for Iraq (UNAMI) will end on 31 December after more than 20 years. A farewell ceremony was held recently in the presence of the UN secretary general. The country has grown and become more stable, but some uncertainty remains. After last month’s election, Iraqis are waiting to see a new government take over with uncertainty over the chances of the incumbent prime minister. For Cardinal Sako, Iraqis are waiting for the “birth of a new Iraq”.

An Israeli air raid struck an apartment on the southern outskirts of Beirut. The target was Haytham Ali Tabataba'i, chief of staff of the pro-Iranian party. Washington and Tel Aviv are against the Lebanese leadership, which has not yet managed to disarm Hezbollah. The Pope's imminent visit rules out any immediate escalation, but fears for the future remain.

Following the UN Security Council's approval of the Gaza plan, Saudi Crown Prince Muhammad bin Salman travelled to the United States for the first time since the Khashoggi murder. At the centre of his talks with Trump are multi-billion dollar defence, technology, and artificial intelligence deals, including the sale of F-35s, previously reserved exclusively for Israel. Riyadh is playing a central role in regional dynamics without formally joining the Abraham Accords.

Christian families are returning to the village in the Orontes Valley to claim their homes and lands 14 years after it was occupied by armed Islamists, who killed Fr François Mourad. For Father Ielpo, custos of the Holy Land, every true reconstruction is based “on the strength of faith, and of the power of forgiveness”.

It was launched by educator and activist Jina Achji, who wanted to “offer a space” capable of bringing together and uniting “all communities”. The idea took its first steps in Aleppo in 2012 and has now spread to Hama and Homs. The invitation is to live ‘the present and reality’ by putting aside the ‘lost dream [...] for an imaginary land’.